Return Part 2 in the BuffyAngel Trilogy
by xxAugustaxx
Summary: Picking up where the first part left off, Buffy and Angel continue to search for Connor.
1. Prologue

****

Return

The Buffy & Angel Trilogy

~**Part 2**~

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Prologue:

Buffy walked through the doors of the hotel feeling numb as she walked straight towards Angel's office. The only thing around her was silence, and everything felt as if it went in slow motion.

Wesley was sitting up on the couch as he cleaned himself up with a wash cloth and a bowl of water when Buffy walked in.

"Buffy?" Wesley said as Buffy walked into the place, but she ignored him as he watched her walk into Angel's office. A few seconds later, Angel went running in and looked around. 

Suddenly, loud crashing sounds came from Angel's office. He quickly ran towards the direction where the noise was coming from.

Buffy was kneeling on the ground pulling out books from the bookshelf he had in his office. Angel just stood there for a second, not knowing what to do to make the situation better.

"Buffy, doing this won't get him back," he told her as he put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Maybe not, but I'm going to try," she told him as she got up with a book in her hands.

"Buffy, wait. What are you doing?" he asked as he followed her out into the lobby. She slammed the book down on the counter and whipped around.

"Who's Holtz?" she asked.

"What-" he began.

"No, Angel, don't you dare act like you don't know who I'm talking about. You said his name. You knew him, now how is Holtz?" she asked again. Angel looked down to the ground as he thought back o the first time he had met Daniel Holtz.

"He, he was a vampire hunter a century or so ago. He had been after Darla and I before I was cursed," he told her.

"What does he want with Connor?" she asked.

"I swear I don't know," he told her honestly. 

"Then why do you think he set all this up and took him?" she asked. Angel sighed knowing exactly why Holtz had kidnapped Connor. 

"One night Darla suggested we go to Holtz's house and make trouble," he began painfully remembering what he had done as Angelus. "So by the time he got home that night, Darla and I had killed his whole family. Darla sired his young daughter," he explained. 

"After that night, he had vowed to get even with us. All this time has passed; he-he was mortal, I thought he was dead," he guessed.

"So our son is gone because of some centuries old revenge plot?" she asked angrily. "Connor is gone in some hell dimension, and I'll never be able to see him again because you and your sire once killed this mans family?" she said before walking away.

"Buffy," Angel said as he grabbed her arm.

"Don't touch me," she said before running up the stairs. Angel waited, and sure enough, he heard their door slam. He scratched the back of his head in frustration as he walked back towards Wesley to see how he was.

"Where's Connor?" Wesley asked as he tried to sit up more. Angel sat down beside him.

"He's gone. Holtz took him and jumped into a hell portal of some kind," he explained as he himself felt distraught from the shock of seeing his only son; only child; being taken away by one of Angel's worst enemies.

"Angel, I'm so sorry. I tried-" Wesley began.

"It's not your fault. You're lucky you're alive," he told him.

"Yeah, real lucky. I let Connor get taken away," he told him, angry with himself.

"No. There was nothing you could've done," he assured him, "We'll find a way to get him back," he told Wesley, and himself at the same time. 

He had no idea how, or where he was going to start, then he thought of something.

"The Oracles!" he said as he got up quickly. 

"But they can't-" Wesley began.

"They might be able to tell me where Connor is," he said. He looked up towards the direction Buffy disappeared to.

"I'll call Gunn and Cordy; tell them what happened. That way they can get over here and keep watch in case something else happens," Angel said as he walked over to the phone to make his phone calls. 

After a few minutes, he hung up and walked over towards Wesley. 

"Keep an eye on Buffy until they get here," Angel told him before walking out the door.

****

* * *

__

"What have you brought us Greater Worrier?" The female Oracle asked as Angel entered. Angel threw them a vase.

"18th Century vase," he told them.

_"What is it you wish to know?"_ The female asked.

"My son. He's been kidnapped. I want to know where he is and how I can get him back," Angel said quickly, knowing the Oracles didn't like to wait.

_"It seems your son has been brought to a hell dimension,"_ The male Oracle answered.

"How do I get him back?" Angel asked quickly.

_"That we do not know. You must figure that out on your own,"_ The male said.

"But how? I mean, where do I even start?" he asked. "You have to help me get my son back," he told them.

_"We cannot do that. It is not in our power to do so,"_ The female explained. Angel shook his head.

"No. You can, I know what you're capable of doing. You can find my son and bring him back," Angel told them. 

__

"W cannot interfere in this," they told him. 

"Why won't you do it? He's innocent. He doesn't deserve to grow up in some sort of hell dimension!" he told them feeling hurt and angry with them for not helping him. 

"Look. You let Connor be so that he could help fight evil; so that you two could gain a powerful worrier from two powerful ones. Why can't you help me?" Angel asked desperately. 

_"Were sorry, but we cannot interfere with lower level's unless it's of great importance," _The male said.

"This is!" Angel exclaimed before the Oracles turned around and waved him away. Angel was then thrown out of their sanctuary.

"Damnitt!" he yelled at the mystical door. He looked at the door for a few more seconds he walked out into the sewers, and back to the hotel.


	2. Ch 1

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CHAPTER 1

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Author's Note2: I'm really sorry if it seemed like Buffy totally wrote off the Scooby gang. It's kind of hard to tie both show's storylines together. I'll try to add more, but her being in L.A and them in Sunnydale; its kind of hard. I can't keep having them travel back & fourth, ya know? So please bare with me! Also, if it seems like Buffy doesn't have too much plot in this series. For those who kept up with _Angel _during the time when Connor came into the show, both as a baby and a teenager, it's a little hard to add Buffy into that plot line. I'm REALLY sorry if it seems unrealistic, but I didn't really have much for Buffy to do. Also, I realize the curse clause wasn't mentioned or discussed and was mainly ignored. If it's that much of a problem for people reading this, then I'll try to address the subject soon. But I didn't want this story to be like, ok, Angel's curse is gone, now they can go at it. I started writing this because I love Buffy and Angel together, and I think Buffy should have had Connor, not Darla. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND WHEN WRITING FEEDBACK, THIS WAS MY FIRST BUFFY/ANGEL FAN FICTION and I had originally written it just for fun. AT the time I had no interest to put it on the internet, but I ended up doing so. I stared this series when I was in 7th grade, and I decided I should finish it. I'm really trying to make this story believable towards both shows, and write it well. Thanks to everyone for reading it, and for the feedback, and I hope you enjoy this Part in the trilogy!! J 

By the time Angel returned back to the hotel, Cordy and Gunn had arrived, but there was no sign of Buffy downstairs.

"Oh God Angel, I'm so sorry. If there is anything-" Cordy began as she walked towards Angel.

"Where is she?" he asked quickly as his gaze swept the lobby once more. Gunn got up and walked over to him.

"She's upstairs. We tried to get her to come down, but she just won't," Gunn told him. 

"Also, she's up there with a few books. Can't be good if she's not thinking straight," Cordelia added nervously. 

"How long has she been up there?" Angel asked worriedly.

"An hour or so," Cordelia answered. Angel quickly headed up the stairs.

****

* * *

Angel quickly opened their door thinking Buffy had tried a spell and was hurt. Instead, he found her sitting on their bed with a book opened on her lap.

"What did the Oracles say?" she asked as Angel shut the door. He walked over to the bed.

"They can't help us," he told her. Buffy nodded and looked back down. She then flipped another page of the large book. Angel could tell she was trying to hold in her emotions, as she had always done. 

"Buffy don't do this. Don't do this to yourself," he told her as he put his hand on the book. Buffy pulled the book away from him.

"I'll find a way to get him back myself," she told him. 

"Buffy, don't do this," he told her again. 

"Do what, care? Try to get my son back?" she asked painfully. "Angel, I can't just sit here and know that my baby is in some sort of hell dimension." 

"I've got everyone on it downstairs," he informed her. 

"Yeah, well it's not good enough," she told him as she looked back down emptily at the book. "Just go," she told him as she flipped the page and began to scan the next page. 

Angel looked at for a few more seconds before he turned around, and walked towards the door. He paused for a second before he opened the door.

"I love you, and I promise we'll get him back," he told her before he left. 

As soon as Angel shut the door, Buffy picked up the book from the bed, and threw it against the door. She then broke down and cried. The thought of never seeing her child again cut into her heart more than anything ever could. Only a few days before hand, her life had been perfect; now she felt as though her life was ending.

* * *

"How's she doin'?" Gunn asked as Angel walked back down the stairs. 

"She's not," he told them all as he walked over to them. "Have you found anything yet?" he asked.

"Not yet," Gunn told him. 

Angel nodded. Just then, Buffy came down the stairs.

"Buffy? Where you going?" Angel asked as Buffy walked towards the door.

"I'm going to see if there's been any word around town," she explained. Angel walked over to her.

"You can't go out like this," he told her. "You're not thinking straight." Buffy turned around. 

"You can't stop me," she said as she opened the front doors and vanished out the door. Angel stood there for a second before walking back into the room.

"If there are any calls, tell them we've shut down until further notice," Angel told Cordelia before he walked into his office.


	3. Ch2

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CHAPTER 2

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. I may just take the Glory part out, I'm not sure yet. Someone brought up a good point; if there's no glory, there's no reason for Dawn. Sadly, I never thought of that while writing the story- stupid me! So Dawn is in it, but I gotta decide what I'm going to do about Glory!! And I apologize if this story all together seems like Buffy and Angel's relationship is too 'fluffy,' I'll try and work on that, but part 1 and 2 were already written, I'm currently working on part 3, that's why I'm trying to get part 2 up as fast as possible!! Thanks everyone for taking time to read my writing!!! 

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Author's Note II: Don't forget to read the very first part in this trilogy; 'Prophecy Birth.'

A few weeks had gone by and still the group came up with nothing. They had gotten a few leads on missing children, but they all turned out to be dead ends. 

Angel walked into the lobby, and walked straight to his office. Cordelia watched through his office window as Angel picked up his phone and dialed a number. A few minutes later, he came out and walked towards her. As he walked closer, Cordy noticed he looked as though he hadn't slept in a while. Even though he was a vampire, they still required some sleep, and Cordelia doubted Angel had gotten any over the past few weeks.

"Any messages?" he asked. Cordelia shook her head as she closed a manila folder. Business had been unusually slow since Connor had been taken.

"Just the usual calls. Willow and Xander called wanting to know how you guys are doing, and Mrs. Summers called a few times wanting to talk to Buffy, but she wouldn't take any calls," she explained. Angel sighed and rubbed the back of his head. His gaze then trailed up the stairs. 

"Has she been down here at all?" he asked.

"She came down once to see if we'd found anything new, then went back upstairs," Cordy told him. 

"Did she grab something; anything to eat?' he asked hoping she had. 

"No she didn't. Has she even eaten anything lately since Connor..." Cordelia asked. Angel sighed again.

"Not that I know of," he said as he walked towards the kitchen. A few minutes later, he walked back into the room with a sandwich, and a glass of juice. "I'll be back down in a few minutes," 

"Good luck," Cordy called out to him as he began up the stairs. 

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I offered her something a few hours ago, but she said she wasn't hungry," she explained. Angel grew even more concerned as continued up the stairs. 

He was too busy looking for where their son may be; he didn't want to worry about Buffy not eating on top of it.

He knocked on the door before opening it. He expected to see her sitting on the bed, but instead didn't see her at all. 

"Buffy?" he called out as he placed the food on the bed. He waited a second for a response, and grew more worried when he didn't get one. He then walked further into the room, and began to look around for her. 

Angel finally found her sitting in Connor's room alone staring off into space, where she seemed to be most of the time. 

"Hey, I um, brought you something to eat," he told her as he knelt down beside her. 

"I'm not hungry," she told him. The room fell silent; Angel un aware of what more to say.

"I woke up this morning, and I went into his bedroom, forgetting he was gone," she told him. "I heard him. Angel, I could've sworn I heard him cry," she explained. Angel put his arms around her and pulled her in his arms.

"I know," he assured her. Then he kissed her on her forehead. "Buffy, I think you should go outside and get some fresh air," he suggested.

"I don't want to," she told him weakly. Angel could tell she had been crying by the sound of her voice.

"Buffy, were all worried about you. It's ok to want to find Connor; I do too, but you need to come downstairs. Get out of this room," he suggested.

"You know, when I first found out I was pregnant, I was scared, and happy beyond words," she began. "Then we found that passage about Connor, and how he was meant to fight. I wanted him to have somewhat of a normal life; a life away from fighting the things that go bump in the night. But instead of telling him there was nothing to be afraid of, that we'd have to teach him all the things _to _be afraid of." Buffy stood up.

"I wanted to go directly to the Powers that Be and tell them that Connor wasn't going to have anything to do with what was prophesized about him. But I realized no matter how hard we try to fight it, you can't escape your destiny." Buffy began to walk out of Connor's room, not being able to stay in there any longer, Angel following her out.

"Buffy," Angel began, wanting so much to comfort her; to end the pain she was in.

"But after a while I started to accept that our son would never have a normal life no matter how hard we tried." Silence once more. Angel put his hand on her shoulder from behind. Buffy slowly turned around upon his touch.

"Angel, I've been thinking," she began. "And I've decided to move back to Sunnydale," she told him. Angel looked at her.

"I'm moving back in with my mom," she told him. "I just, can't stay here; all the memories, I just can't," she admitted. 

"Buffy, were going to find him," he told her. Buffy faintly smiled.

"Yeah. That's what I kept telling myself the first week after," she paused. "But I now know I'll never see him again."

"Don't say that. He's out there somewhere; waiting for us to find him," he tried to assure her. 

"I just can't do this anymore," she told him. Angel nodded knowing she had made up her mind.

"Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to go there with you?" he asked. Buffy shook her head. 

"You need to be here; your life is here," she explained.

"My life is with you," Angel corrected. Buffy just continued to look at him. "So this is it? Is this the end of us?" he asked trying to swallow the hurt that was rising inside of him. 

"No. I just can't be here right now. I need some time to pull myself together," she told him truthfully. 

"I understand," he said knowing she had taken all of this harder than everyone else. "So we go back and forth to see each other? Like a long distance thing?" he asked. 

"For now, It seems like the best thing," she told him. The couple hugged, coming to terms that they would never loose touch. 

They would go and see each other on weekends, or any chance they got, and they would stay in touch on the phone. He knew Buffy needed some time to pull herself together. 

He also knew she'd be safe and taken care of back in Sunnydale where she'd be living with her mother and sister. 

That night Angel promised himself that he would do everything in his power to continue to look for his son, and to keep Buffy in his life. 


	4. Ch3

****

CHAPTER 2

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. I may just take the Glory part out, I'm not sure yet. Someone brought up a good point; if there's no glory, there's no reason for Dawn. Sadly, I never thought of that while writing the story- stupid me! So Dawn is in it, but I gotta decide what I'm going to do about Glory!! And I apologize if this story all together seems like Buffy and Angel's relationship is too 'fluffy,' I'll try and work on that, but part 1 and 2 were already written, I'm currently working on part 3, that's why I'm trying to get part 2 up as fast as possible!! Thanks everyone for taking time to read my writing!!! 

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Author's Note II: Don't forget to read the very first part in this trilogy; 'Prophecy Birth.'

A few weeks had gone by and still the group came up with nothing. They had gotten a few leads on missing children, but they all turned out to be dead ends. 

Angel walked into the lobby, and walked straight to his office. Cordelia watched through his office window as Angel picked up his phone and dialed a number. A few minutes later, he came out and walked towards her. As he walked closer, Cordy noticed he looked as though he hadn't slept in a while. Even though he was a vampire, they still required some sleep, and Cordelia doubted Angel had gotten any over the past few weeks.

"Any messages?" he asked. Cordelia shook her head as she closed a manila folder. Business had been unusually slow since Connor had been taken.

"Just the usual calls. Willow and Xander called wanting to know how you guys are doing, and Mrs. Summers called a few times wanting to talk to Buffy, but she wouldn't take any calls," she explained. Angel sighed and rubbed the back of his head. His gaze then trailed up the stairs. 

"Has she been down here at all?" he asked.

"She came down once to see if we'd found anything new, then went back upstairs," Cordy told him. 

"Did she grab something; anything to eat?' he asked hoping she had. 

"No she didn't. Has she even eaten anything lately since Connor..." Cordelia asked. Angel sighed again.

"Not that I know of," he said as he walked towards the kitchen. A few minutes later, he walked back into the room with a sandwich, and a glass of juice. "I'll be back down in a few minutes," 

"Good luck," Cordy called out to him as he began up the stairs. 

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I offered her something a few hours ago, but she said she wasn't hungry," she explained. Angel grew even more concerned as continued up the stairs. 

He was too busy looking for where their son may be; he didn't want to worry about Buffy not eating on top of it.

He knocked on the door before opening it. He expected to see her sitting on the bed, but instead didn't see her at all. 

"Buffy?" he called out as he placed the food on the bed. He waited a second for a response, and grew more worried when he didn't get one. He then walked further into the room, and began to look around for her. 

Angel finally found her sitting in Connor's room alone staring off into space, where she seemed to be most of the time. 

"Hey, I um, brought you something to eat," he told her as he knelt down beside her. 

"I'm not hungry," she told him. The room fell silent; Angel un aware of what more to say.

"I woke up this morning, and I went into his bedroom, forgetting he was gone," she told him. "I heard him. Angel, I could've sworn I heard him cry," she explained. Angel put his arms around her and pulled her in his arms.

"I know," he assured her. Then he kissed her on her forehead. "Buffy, I think you should go outside and get some fresh air," he suggested.

"I don't want to," she told him weakly. Angel could tell she had been crying by the sound of her voice.

"Buffy, were all worried about you. It's ok to want to find Connor; I do too, but you need to come downstairs. Get out of this room," he suggested.

"You know, when I first found out I was pregnant, I was scared, and happy beyond words," she began. "Then we found that passage about Connor, and how he was meant to fight. I wanted him to have somewhat of a normal life; a life away from fighting the things that go bump in the night. But instead of telling him there was nothing to be afraid of, that we'd have to teach him all the things _to _be afraid of." Buffy stood up.

"I wanted to go directly to the Powers that Be and tell them that Connor wasn't going to have anything to do with what was prophesized about him. But I realized no matter how hard we try to fight it, you can't escape your destiny." Buffy began to walk out of Connor's room, not being able to stay in there any longer, Angel following her out.

"Buffy," Angel began, wanting so much to comfort her; to end the pain she was in.

"But after a while I started to accept that our son would never have a normal life no matter how hard we tried." Silence once more. Angel put his hand on her shoulder from behind. Buffy slowly turned around upon his touch.

"Angel, I've been thinking," she began. "And I've decided to move back to Sunnydale," she told him. Angel looked at her.

"I'm moving back in with my mom," she told him. "I just, can't stay here; all the memories, I just can't," she admitted. 

"Buffy, were going to find him," he told her. Buffy faintly smiled.

"Yeah. That's what I kept telling myself the first week after," she paused. "But I now know I'll never see him again."

"Don't say that. He's out there somewhere; waiting for us to find him," he tried to assure her. 

"I just can't do this anymore," she told him. Angel nodded knowing she had made up her mind.

"Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to go there with you?" he asked. Buffy shook her head. 

"You need to be here; your life is here," she explained.

"My life is with you," Angel corrected. Buffy just continued to look at him. "So this is it? Is this the end of us?" he asked trying to swallow the hurt that was rising inside of him. 

"No. I just can't be here right now. I need some time to pull myself together," she told him truthfully. 

"I understand," he said knowing she had taken all of this harder than everyone else. "So we go back and forth to see each other? Like a long distance thing?" he asked. 

"For now, It seems like the best thing," she told him. The couple hugged, coming to terms that they would never loose touch. 

They would go and see each other on weekends, or any chance they got, and they would stay in touch on the phone. He knew Buffy needed some time to pull herself together. 

He also knew she'd be safe and taken care of back in Sunnydale where she'd be living with her mother and sister. 

That night Angel promised himself that he would do everything in his power to continue to look for his son, and to keep Buffy in his life. 


	5. Ch4

****

CHAPTER 4

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Author's Note II: I hope this doesn't suck too much! I know it's a little….BLAH! With Buffy back in Sunnydale and Angel in L.A. in the show, Angel went a little….mad, literally when Connor was taken. He's not like that in here, instead imagine him burying his grief and sadness in his work; in finding Connor. Hope that's an ok substitute! Just to let you guys in on a little secret… when I wrote a lot of this; the stuff with baby Connor; I hadn't actually seen any of the episodes! Lol. I wrote what I wrote using only episode guides! - This may explain a few things! Lol But now, where I live, they're re-running Angel on TNT and they're showing the episodes with baby Connor, so I'm catchin' up!! 

Nightfall came by to fast for Buffy. Before she knew it, it was dark out, and she had to get ready for patrol. Not that she minded; she was sad, and felt the need to hit something. She didn't want to be in a sad mood when Angel showed up later on.

She walked through the graveyard talking to herself when a vampire jumped out from the shadows.

"I was waiting for one of you to jump out," she said happily as she ran towards it and kicked the vampire in the stomach.

"Have I told any of you lately how much I hate your kind?" Buffy asked as she blocked a punch from the vampire.

"And yet your in love with one," The vampire told her as he punched her in the face. 

"Yeah, well, he's different. He's not like you," she told the vampire. He then smiled.

"Yes, but is your child?" he asked. Buffy stumbled back at the vampire's comment. 

"What do you know about my son?" she asked. The vampire sneered.

"He's coming, and you won't be able to stop him from his destiny," he told her. Buffy all of a sudden felt weak.

"He, he's coming back?" she asked as she lowered her stake hoping to learn more. The vampire knew he had distracted Buffy; he then kicked her in her stomach, knocking her on the ground. Before Buffy was able to get back up, the vampire jumped onto her.

"Too bad you won't be alive long enough to see him again," The vampire said as he lowered his head to her neck. At that moment, Buffy gave up. She didn't try to fight back because a part of her wanted to be put out of her misery. Then all of a sudden, she heard a familiar growl, then the vampire on top of her exploded. 

"Buffy, are you alright?" Angel asked as he extended his hand to help her up. 

"I'm ok. I'm, I'm..." Buffy began. Then she burst into tears. Angel quickly knelt down beside her. 

"Angel, he said that Connor was coming back; that we couldn't stop him from his destiny," Buffy told him. Angel put his arms around her, and pulled her into a hug. 

"It's ok. Buffy, don't believe him," Angel told her.

"I can't do this anymore Angel. I want him back so much," she told him. 

"I know. I do too," he admitted as he lifted her up. Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. 

"How'd you know I'd be here?" she asked. 

"Well, I stopped by you house first, and your mother told me you were patrolling tonight," he explained. "She also told me she was concerned about you. Buffy, you have to eat something," he told her. "I mean look at you; you've lost wait since I've last seen you," he noted. 

He then noticed the black circles under her eyes. "And you look like you haven't slept in weeks," he added.

"I'm fine. I-" She lied.

"No you're not. Look Buffy, I miss him just as much as you do, but you can't do this to yourself," he told her as they began to walk.

"I need you Buffy. I can't do this without you," he said truthfully as they continued to walk. 

****

* * *

The two of them arrived back at Buffy's house a half an hour later. By then, Buffy knew Joyce and Dawn would already in bed. They quietly entered the house and shot the door, trying to stay as quiet as possible. 

"Do you want anything?" Buffy asked as she gestured towards the kitchen. Angel shook his head.

"I'm alright. Why don't you get something," he suggested. 

"No. I'm good," she told him. Angel gave her a look. 

"I promise I'll eat something tomorrow," she said. She smiled at Angel.

"I will," she assured him. Angel smiled back at her.

"Fine," he said as he reached for her hand.

"I'm tired; let's go to bed," she suggested. She then climbed up the stairs; still holding Angel's hand. She opened the door, and switched on the light. She then remembered she hadn't had a chance to pick up her room before she left.

"Sorry 'bout the mess," she apologized as she shut the door. Angel walked further into the room as she took his jacket off.

"It's fine," he told her as he placed his jacket on a wicker chair she had in her room. 

"So, what's been going on in L.A.?" Buffy asked as she pulled out a pair of her pajamas and set them on her bed. 

"Nothing really. You know, the usual," he explained. Buffy nodded.

"How is everyone doing?" she asked.

"Good. Cordy's the same ol' Cordy. Gunn and Wesley are waiting on Fred hand and foot making sure she's comfortable," Angel explained.

"Fred?" she asked confused.

"The girl we saved in Pylea. Her name is Winifred, but she likes to be called Fred," he explained. "She's come down with the flu." Buffy nodded.

"Oh."

"Oh, and Lorne sends his love, and also this," Angel told her as he walked over to the bed and sat down. He then leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. 

Buffy looked up at him and smiled. Angel then leaned closer to her again, and kissed her on the lips.

"Wow. I never realized just how much Lorne liked me," Buffy said in a hushed tone. Angel smiled. 

"The first one was from him, that one was from me," he explained.

"We probably shouldn't. I'm really needy right now," she warned. 

"Let me decide that," he told her as he leaned in for another kiss. Then all of a sudden the hunger and lust between them grew, and Angel pulled away slowly and looked at her, taking in an un-needed breath.

"See. I told you I was needy," she reminded him. She then looked down at her pajamas that were folded on her bed.

"I'd better get changed," she said as she got up and grabbed her pajamas from the end of her bed. 

"I'll turn around," he told her as he turned to face the other way. He had to force himself from keeping his gaze to the other side of the room as soon as he heard buttons and zippers. 

"Ok. You can um, turn around now," she told him as she stood there. Angel slowly turned around and smiled.

"You still look pretty when you go to sleep," he told her referring to the first time he had spent the night at her house. In the beginning of their relationship, when things hadn't gotten so complicated. In fact, she didn't even know he was a vampire then. Buffy smiled at him.

"Thanks," she said as she climbed onto the bed and sat with her back resting on her metal headboard. Angel leaned back beside her.

"I've missed you," she told him as she rested her head on his shoulder. Angel wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer. 

"I missed you too," he told her as he kissed her on her forehead. He noticed Buffy was tired, and was fighting to stay awake.

"Why don't you get some rest; It's late," he told her. Buffy sighed. 

"Alright," she whispered in a sleepy voice. Angel could tell she'd been through a lot since their son's disappearance. He carefully pulled a strand of hair from Buffy's face, noticing it was bothering her. 

"I love you," he whispered to her as he sensed her breathing has slowed down, and she was drifting off to sleep. Buffy mumbled something; Angel thought her say 'I love you.' 

He felt bad knowing what Buffy was going through alone. He himself had spent his nights hoping his son would return to them, then Buffy would come back home and they'd be a family once more. He missed those days when he and Buffy fought side by side in L.A., and came back home together to their son. 

Angel sighed as he carefully leaned over and shut off her bedside lamp, then returned to holding Buffy; who had curled herself onto a ball next to him while he held her. 


	6. Ch5

****

CHAPTER 5

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Thank You Note: I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's given my story a chance and took the time to read them. And the feedback, thanks sooo much for the feedback! It's really helped me, and made me realize some of the mistakes I may have made, or just things I could add to make it better. Thanks SOO much!!

Buffy awoke the next day before Angel did. She stretched and carefully sat up, not wanting to wake him. She then couldn't help but to extend her hand towards his face to touch him. 

All of a sudden, Angel smiled as his eyes opened. Buffy pulled her hand back quickly.

"Morning," she whispered. Angel looked at her, still smiling.

"Hey," he whispered back as he slowly sat up. "Feeling better this morning?" he asked. Buffy nodded.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about last night. I was really tired," she explained.

"I could tell. You fell asleep not even ten minutes after you hit the pillow," he told her. Buffy laughed just as they heard a knock on the door and Joyce slowly opened it.

"Well, good morning you too," Joyce said as she leaned against the doorframe in her thick bathrobe holding a cup of coffee in her hands. Buffy smiled.

"Good morning," Buffy said smiling.

"Good morning Joyce. I hope we didn't wake you," he said.

"No. Not at all," she assured him. "I thought I heard movement, and decided to say good morning," she explained.

"Well, I'm glad you came in to say good morning," Buffy said with a trace of happiness in her voice as she smiled. Joyce looked at her daughter.

"It's good to see you smile. Its been a while since I've see it or heard you laugh," Joyce noted as she herself smiled at her daughter. "Thank you Angel," Joyce said now looking at Buffy's boyfriend.

"For what?" he asked.

"For making my daughter's smile. I miss seeing her happy, and we both know it's been hard on everyone," she explained.

"It has, and I think were doing better with that," he told her. Joyce smiled at the two of them.

"Oh, would you two like something to eat? Dawn's already eaten her breakfast," she asked them. "Angel, I noticed there was a carton of blood in the fridge, would you like me to warm it up for you?" she offered. 

"Thanks," he told her. Joyce nodded then looked at her daughter.

"Buffy? Is there anything you want?" She asked her daughter. Angel looked at Buffy sternly.

"I'll um, have some of that left over pizza," she said. 

"Alright, fine," Joyce said as she left the doorway and the two of them heard her climb down the stairs. Buffy looked back at Angel, and noticed his expression.

"What?" she asked. "You wanted me to eat something, and I am." Angel smiled at her.

"Alright. Granted I drink blood; shouldn't you eat something more...breakfasty? Like Cereal or, something,"

"Are you trying to give me a hard time?" Buffy asked challengingly. She couldn't help but smile as she turned around to face him.

"Why would I do that?" he asked. Before she was able to answer, he quickly began tickling her. Since he knew where she was the most ticklish, he seemed to have the upper hand as Buffy kicked and tried to squirm away.

"Angel no; stop!" Buffy said as she tried to crawl away from him. Then suddenly, Buffy fell off her bed and onto the floor with Angel following as he fell on top of her. As the two of them fell onto the floor, they created a thump sound Buffy knew her mother had heard.

"No rough housing you too!" Joyce called up. 

Buffy looked up at Angel as she continued to smile at him, even though he had stopped tickling her. 

She pulled his face down for a kiss. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his back. Angel's kisses then trailed down her neck, getting carried away in the moment. All their feelings and grief screaming to be forgotten, even if just for a moment.

"Ahem," Dawn said as she stood in the doorway; her arms folded in front of her chest as she stood there looking at them. Buffy and Angel both jumped at the sound of her sister's voice "Don't let mom catch you two," Dawn warned. "Oh, and breakfast is ready," she told them before she left.

"Buffy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." Angel trailed off.

"No. I shouldn't have. It's just...hard. I want you so bad, and I know we cant..."

"Right," Angel said as he slowly got up. He then extended his hand so that he could help Buffy up.

"Thanks," she said as he pulled her up. 

"We should probably go down and eat," Buffy suggested. She could feel the heat in her cheeks from being caught with Angel on top of her, even if it was just her sister.

"Right," he agreed quickly as the two of them headed out of her room. 

****

* * *

By the time night came, Buffy, Angel and Joyce were sitting in the living room talking about what had been going on since the last saw each other.

"I still can't get over the idea that Spike can't hurt anyone anymore," Angel told them. Buffy smiled.

"I know. I can't either. Although he has been useful with helping me fight," She admitted. Angel raised his eyebrow.

"You're kidding. Spike _helps _you kill vampires?" he asked. Buffy nodded.

"I guess he can still beat on demons and, things. So I figure we can use him for fighting," she explained.

"Oh."

"Plus he figures if he helps us out, he'll be protected against all the other demons that are out for him." Angel smiled. Now that sounded more like the Spike he knew.

"Did I miss anything good?" Dawn asked as she entered the room with a large bowl of popcorn. She crossed the room and sat in between Buffy and Angel on the couch.

"We were just talking about Spike fighting alongside your sister," Angel told her.

"It's pretty funny, huh?" Dawn asked. 

"Considering I know Spike in a very different way, yeah I guess it's funny," he told her. Dawn looked at him with a confused face.

"I'll explain it to you another time," he promised. Joyce looked at the clock.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed young lady?" Joyce asked. Dawn looked at her with her mother with a mortified expression. 

"Mom, are you serious? It's nine thirty, and it's not a school night!" Dawn argued. "Besides, Angel's here, and you know as well as I do he's not here all the time," she pointed out desperately. She then looked at Angel. 

"Oh no. Don't get me involved in this," he told her. 

"Oh come on. I like, never get to see you," 

"Dawn, you know I love you, but your mother is right. You should probably go to bed," he told her. Dawn looked at him.

"I thought you didn't want to get in the middle of this," she reminded him.

"Dawn," Joyce reminded her. Buffy decided to step in. 

"Besides, Angel and I have to go out and take a quick sweep through anyways," Buffy told her. Dawn sighed and got up.

"Yeah, I see a lot of hunting being done in that scenario," Dawn commented as she began to walk towards the stairs. Joyce couldn't help but laugh. Buffy on the other hand looked at Dawn.

"Bed. Now," she told her trying to keep her tone serious. After Dawn disappeared upstairs, Buffy turned towards Angel, who was smiling at her sister's comment.

"It's not funny," she told him. She then looked over at her mother, who was smiling also. "It's not," she told her mother as she got up.

"Alright. Angel, let's go. We have _patrolling _to do," she said as she grabbed her and Angel's coat. 

"Oh and guys? Try not to be home too late," she asked them. Buffy rolled her eyes before shutting the door.

****

* * *Quick Author's Note! I know, I know, I had to bring the 'Cladding' (-did I spell that right??)

Ring back. I always wondered just exactly what the hell happened to it. Last I knew of it, Buffy put it on the floor in the mansion the same night angel came back in season 3. BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO IT EXACTLY! Lol. Sorry, frustrating subject, lol.**************

Buffy and Angel arrived home a few hours later. To their surprise, the night had gone a lot easier than either of them had expected it to. There were only a few "noobie" vampires out and about, and it didn't take them long to dust them. 

Angel followed Buffy into the kitchen and sat down as she walked over to the fridge and grabbed a carton of juice. He then remembered he had something for her in his pocket he had forgotten about until just now. 

"Tonight went pretty well don't you think?" Buffy asked before she sipped her juice.

"Yeah, It was pretty easy," he agreed with her as he watched her. "Hey Buffy, do you remember the ring that I gave you on your seventeenth birthday?" he asked. Buffy looked at him with a confused expression.

"Of coarse I do; why?" she asked as she walked towards the counter. Angel then looked up at her.

"I, I have something for you," He told her as he stood up and reached into his pocket. Buffy walked over to him as he pulled out a familiar silver ring. 

"Oh my god. How did you find it? I left it in the mansion before you came back," she explained.

"Oh um, while I was packing; before I went to L.A.; I came across a shiny object in the corner of the main room," he explained. 

"In the room where I put it," Buffy whispered.

"I was going to give it to you before I left, but we were arguing, then Faith shot me with that poison arrow and I kind of forgot," he admitted as he held it in his hand. Buffy looked at it as if she was in a trance. She then remembered back to the night Angel had first given it to her...

__

They looked at each other as they stood on the dock with saddened expressions. Trouble came and ruined her plans as usual, only this time; the evil was forcing Angel far away from her; and on her birthday. She couldn't bear to say goodbye to him; She needed him so much. They needed each other desperately.

"I have something for you. For your birthday. I was going to give it to you earlier, but..." He told her as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an antique looking ring.

It was a beautiful silver ring. Two hands held a crowned heart. Buffy had never seen anything so beautiful in her whole life. 

"It's beautiful," She told him.

Angel's voice was husky from trying to hold back his emotions, as he knew he had to leave her. "My people...before I was changed, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a Claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship; the crown represents loyalty; and the heart, well, you know..." He smiled. "Wear it with the heart pointing towards you, it means you belong to someone. Like this," He explained. He then showed her his own hand. He was wearing a ring that looked the same as hers, and the heart was pointing towards him. He belonged to someone. She remembered knowing the 'someone' was her. She felt the tears build in her eyes.... (Copied part of that from a Buffy/Angel book I own, not all of the italic part is mine!!)

__

"Buffy?" Angel asked. Buffy blinked as her mind came back to the present. Angel looked at her worriedly.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Buffy nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him. Angel smiled as he put the ring on her finger. 

"There," he said as they both looked down at the ring on her finger. 

"Thank you," she told him as she hugged him. The ring had meant the world to her back then, but after she sent Angel to hell, she thought she'd never see him again. So she brought it to the Mansion and placed it in the floor where she and Angel had shared their last kiss; or so she thought.. After Angel had returned, she had gone back one evening, and tried to look for it, but was unable to find it. She was so upset that she had lost the ring he had given to her.

"I've really got to stop walking in on this stuff. I'm going to be scarred for life," Dawn said as she entered the kitchen in her pajamas. Both of their gazes were now on her sister as she walked over towards the fridge and pulled out the ice cream box from the freezer.

"Dawn, what are you doing? Its almost midnight, and your down here eating ice cream?" Buffy asked as they watched Dawn scoop out large scoops of ice cream into a bowl.

"Mom wouldn't let me. She said it would rot my teeth. Only I don't know why we even have it if it rots your teeth," Dawn explained. 

"So why do think _I'm_ going to let you?" she asked. Dawn shrugged.

"Buffy, just let her. It won't kill her," Angel told her as Dawn waked over and sat beside them. Buffy walked over to the Ice cream carton and put it back into the freezer.

"So what flavor you got there?" he asked curiously trying to make conversation with her. 

"Cookie Dough Fudge Mint Chip," she told him proudly as she scooped a bite into her mouth. Angel smiled and looked at Buffy. She slowly turned around towards them at the sound of the flavor. Apparently she was thinking the same thing because Angel noticed her cheeks had turned red. 

"Really. I love that flavor," Angel told her as he raised an eyebrow. Buffy felt as if she was about to die. Dawn looked at Angel confused.

"Ok. Correct me if I'm wrong, but vampire's can't taste anything but Blood, right?" she asked.

"Right. I mean to say, I liked that flavor back..." he trailed off knowing she wasn't buying it.

"But your like two hundred and forty something years old. They didn't have Ice cream back then." Dawn corrected him. Buffy loudly cleared her throat.

"Dawn, why don't you go eat your ice cream upstairs in your room," Buffy suggested.

"Why?" she asked. Buffy walked over and grabbed Angel's hand.

"Because _were_ going to bed," Buffy told her. Angel walked over to Dawn. He hugged her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight Dawn. I'll see you in the morning," he told her before Buffy tugged on his hand once more.

"Fine. Goodnight guys, and lay off the smoochies," she told them before they disappeared up the stairs.


	7. Ch6

****

CHAPTER 6

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: The board game part I wrote strictly for fun! And instead if Dawn ever having a crush on Spike, she kind of has one on Angel. What else… oh yeah! The moment you've all been waiting for! The return of Connor! Guys, I'm really sorry. I've got a lot of replies sayin 'please don't have Connor come back a teenager' and now I feel bad, BUT I had to. Like I said, I'm trying to keep this story as close to both shows as possible. I'll try to make Connor's return as a teenager better. Oh yeah, and I got a review mentioning that Wesley was somewhat of a 'pushover' last part. He's better this part. More in charge. Cause if you'll remember, he was a bit of a whimp and a push over in the beginning, then around season 3 he toughened up. 

By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Author's Note II: I'm still debating whether or not to add the Cordy/Connor thing as gross as that was. I'm having a hard time trying to make up my mind. I need help you guys!! Could you all do me a favor, and e-mail me with your thoughts on it; have a Connor/Cordy relationship or no? And maybe give a few reasons or ideas along with it!! It'll help SOO much! Please send these to Naskt8@aol.com. Have the 'subject' be Cordy/Connor Opinion PLEASE cause I don't want to accidentally delete it!! Thanks, this will help me SO much! 

"Ok, your turn," Angel told her as he sat beside Dawn on the couch playing a board game with her. 

Buffy had few errands to do with the Scoobie gang, so Angel decided to stay at the house. He had planned on sleeping for a while longer, but Dawn had come in and begged him to 'hang-out' with her. 

A few hours later, Buffy walked through the door with her sunglasses on.

"I'm home," Buffy called out as she placed her keys on the table by the door. She walked into the living room and slowly took off her glasses as she caught view of Angel playing a board game with Dawn.

"Wow. This is different," Buffy said as she walked over to them. Joyce appeared from behind her with a plate in her hand. 

"I know. It's kind of nice, huh?" Joyce said as she continued to dry the plate. 

"Yeah, It is," Buffy agreed. Angel smiled at Buffy.

"Hi. She asked me if I would play a round with her," he explained. Buffy nodded.

"Only they've been playing all morning," Joyce added before returning to the kitchen.

"You have, have you?" Buffy asked trying to hold in a laugh. "Who's winning?" she asked curiously as she walked over to them. Dawn looked up and smiled.

"Me," she told her sister proudly. Buffy then noticed what game they were playing.

"Oh, Monopoly. I love that game!" Buffy told them as she walked over to Angel and sat down beside him. 

"How are the guys?" he asked curiously.

"Oh you know them," Buffy answered. "But they did tell me to tell you they say hi," she told him as she leaned closer and kissed him.

"You seem to be doing alright today," he observed. Buffy shrugged.

"Yeah I guess. I mean, I would still like to know what that vamp meant the other night about Connor coming back," Buffy admitted. Dawn looked at them confused.

"What about Connor coming back?" she asked. 

"Nothing. It's just the other night a vampire I was fighting with gave me a cryptic message about him that's all," she explained.

"What does Giles say about it?" Angel asked.

"He's looking into it. He didn't know anything about it off the top of his head," she told him. 

"Don't worry about it Buffy. Giles will find out what he meant by it," Dawn assured her sister. 

Buffy smiled. "Yeah. I'm sure he will," 

****

* * * 

Back In L.A...

The next evening, Angel headed back to L.A. He could only stay for the weekend, and he had to be back before Monday. 

He realized from his visit that he wasn't around as much as he should be. Even though Buffy moved back home to get her life back on track after Connor was kidnapped, it didn't give Angel a right not to visit Sunnydale more often. He and Buffy were technically still a couple, although they didn't live together….at the moment.

Angel pulled up in the motel's parking lot and sighed. He already missed Buffy and it had been only a few hours since he'd seen her. He grabbed his bag out of the back of the car, and walked over towards the door. 

As he got closer to the door, he realized the lights on. _They're probably researching_, he thought. He smiled. He had missed them while he was in Sunnydale. As he walked in he noticed everyone was there.

"Angel, hey man," Gunn said uneasily.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" he asked curiously as he noticed a few open books were sitting on the front desk.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong here. Were great, you?" Cordelia asked. Angel looked at them and could since something was up by their expressions.

"Alright. Now I _know_ something's up. What's going on?" he asked as he put his bag down by the stairs and walked over to them.

"Now Angel, keep in mind were not even sure if what we saw was..." Lorne trailed off.

"Was what?" Angel asked getting worried. "What? Spit it out," he told them. 

"We may have seen Connor," Wesley explained calmly as he walked over towards Angel.

"What?" Angel asked in shock. "Where?" he asked quickly. All he could think about was finding him and bringing him back.

"In the Hotel," Cordelia told him. "Angel, there's something else," Cordelia told them.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly. Cordelia looked at the group then back at Angel. 

"Connor. He was, um, older," she told him trying to break it to him lightly. Angel looked at her confused and worried.

"What. What do you mean? How much older?" he asked quickly.

"By the looks of him; seventeen, eighteen," she told him. Angel looked at them all once more before walking away towards his office. They stood in silence until they heard the sound of the door slam shut. 

"Well that went well," Cordelia announced. 

"Come on guys. Let's get back to work. I want to know what to do if Junior comes back," Gunn said as he tried to re-focus the group.

"I want to know if that really was Connor, and if so; he didn't seem too really like Angel," Wesley said.

"Gee Wes what gave it away? Was it when he told us he wanted to kill Angel, or when he said he'd be back to do so?" Cordelia said sarcastically. 

"Come on you guys. We need to figure out if this really is Connor or not," Lorne said agreeing with Gunn.

"Alright, but for the record I think he is," Cordelia told them.

"How do you figure? I mean, I know I'm kind of new to the group in all and I never even saw him as a baby, but, how can you be so sure?" Fred asked.

"Well, isn't it obvious? He looked just like Angel," Cordy pointed out. "He also has Buffy's eyes. Trust me. I've known both Buffy and Angel for a _long _time. I think I'd know when I see they're kid," Cordelia explained.

"Alright. Whatever. Let's just get to work," Gunn told them. Cordelia sighed. 

****

* * *

Angel sat in his office for a while before deciding he had to call and tell Buffy. He looked at the clock that hung on his office. It read one thirty in the morning. He sighed as he picked up the phone. He really hated calling over there this late, but he knew she'd be mad at him if he waited to tell her. He dialed her number and waited as he heard the ringing noise in the phone. 

"Hello?" Joyce's sleepy voice answered the phone. Angel really felt bad now for calling at this hour.

"Joyce it's me. I'm really sorry for calling at this hour, but something's come up," he told her. 

"What is it? Is everyone alright?" she asked sounding slightly more awake than a few seconds ago.

"Actually, I think we found something, important. Can I talk to Buffy for a second?" he asked.

"Sure. Just a second Angel," Joyce said. Angel heard the other line go silent as Joyce walked to Buffy's room to wake her. A few seconds later, he heard the other line pick up.

"Angel? What's wrong?" Buffy's sleepy voice asked. Angel heard another click; letting him know Joyce hung up her phone. 

"I think we found Connor," he told her. She went silent for a second. _Most likely from shock_, Angel thought.

"Buffy?" Angel asked making sure she didn't faint on the other line.

"I'm on my way," she told him.

"Buffy, you don't have a licensee. How are you going to get here?" he asked.

"I don't know. But I, I'll find a way," Buffy told him sounding fully awake and sounding as if she was about to break down.

"Buffy, calm down. I'll go and get you," he told her knowing he should.

"I'll unlock the door, and I'll be downstairs waiting," she told him.

"Alright. Hold on, and I'll be there as soon as I can," he told her. 

****

In Sunnydale...

Buffy quickly hung up her phone, and grabbed her suitcase from under her bed. She then walked over to her dresser and grabbed some clothes and threw them in the suitcase.

"Buffy, what's going on?" Joyce asked as she walked into her daughter's room and saw Buffy quickly throwing her clothes into her suitcase. "Is Angel all right?" she asked.

"It's not Angel, its Connor," Buffy told her as she continued to pack.

"He found Connor?" Joyce asked happily. 

"I, I don't know. All he said is that they think they found him. How, I'm not sure," she explained.

"This is great," Joyce said. Dawn staggered into the doorway from all the commotion going on at that hour of the night. 

"What's going on? And who was that on the phone?" Dawn asked. She looked at her mother then at her sister, who was frantically packing up her clothes.

"Buffy, are you leaving?" Dawn asked worriedly. Buffy stopped packing and looked at her sister.

"Dawnie I have to. Angel found Connor," she told her sister.

"He did. Oh my god, is Connor ok?" Dawn asked quickly. She had been worried about Connor, and was upset that he was kidnapped. 

"I don't know. Angel didn't say," Buffy told them. "That's why I'm going there for a while. To help them find Connor,"

"Buffy how are you getting there? Is mom driving you?" she asked. Buffy shook her head.

"Angel's on his way to get me," she told her. "I have a feeling there's more he's not telling me," she admitted.

"Honey, whatever it is he's probably waiting to tell you in person." Joyce assured her.

"Yeah, you're probably right." she told her mother as she closed the suitcase 

**__**

Back In LA...

Angel quickly walked out of his office as he pulled on his jacket as he walked into the lobby. 

"Angel, where are you going?" Cordelia asked quickly. 

Without turning around, or breaking stride Angel replied, "To pick up Buffy." he said.

"Angel wait!" Wesley called out. Angel turned around.

"What, there's more?" Angel asked angrily. The room went silent. 

"He came here to kill you," Wesley told him. Angel looked at him confused.

"Wes, what are you talking about?" Angel asked. Wesley sighed.

"Connor, or whoever that was, came here to kill you," Wesley explained. Gunn smiled and took a step forward.

"Yeah, and I've got the bruises to prove it. Man that kid sure knew how to fight," Gunn told them. 

"Ok, look. My brain is on overload right now as it is. I'm on my way to go pick up Buffy. I'll be back as soon as I can," he told them before he left. 

"So, I'm finally going to be able to meet Buffy. That's good, right?" Fred asked.

"Depends which day you catch her on." Wesley answered.

**__**

In Sunnydale...

Angel arrived at Buffy's house sooner than he thought he would. Although speeding the whole way there probably helped a lot. He quickly ran up to the door and opened it only to find everyone sitting in the living room waiting.

"Angel," Buffy said as she ran over to him. He pulled her into a hug. 

"It's alright, the gang is on it right now," he explained. Buffy looked up at him.

"Do you think it's him?" she asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see him," Angel told her. Buffy nodded and took a step backwards. He looked past Buffy and noticed Dawn was up as well.

"Sorry I woke you guys up," he said apologizing to Dawn and Joyce.

"No, It's alright. Especially since it's about Connor," Joyce added. Angel looked at Buffy, who seemed to want to leave.

"We should," he suggested motioning to the door. 

"Right. I'll call you guys when we have more," she promised. Dawn ran over to Buffy and hugged her. 

"I know you'll find him," Dawn told her sister. Buffy hugged her sister.

"Thanks. I'll call you guys," she promised them again. Dawn nodded then hugged Angel.

"We'll be ok Dawnie. I promise," he told her as he kissed the top of her head. The two of them then left for L.A. to find their son.

**__**

In LA...

The gang was discussing the possible 'Connor' run in, when Angel and Buffy walked through the door. Their attention automatically snapped to the couple as they walked towards them. 

"Hey honey bun, how have you been?" Lorne asked as he walked over to Buffy and hugged her.

"I've been good; you?" she asked. 

"We've been good, until Connor dropped by all in fighting mode," Lorne told her. Buffy looked at Angel.

"Fighting mode? What's he talking about?" she asked him. Angel looked down. He had wanted to tell her in private about Connor's drastic age change.

"Angel?" she asked. She walked towards him. Angel looked at Wesley then at Buffy.

"Connor's not a baby anymore. He, he's a teenager," he told her. Buffy stood there looking at him shocked.

"What? How can that be? He's not even a year old!" Buffy protested. Angel walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

Buffy looked at Wesley. "How could he be that old when he wasn't even a year old when he was taken?" Buffy asked desperately. 

"As you know, time in hell dimensions are very different from our time," he began. Angel remembered when he was in hell. It had been only months on earth, but in the dimension he was in, he served over a hundred years of hellish torment. Seeing images of Buffy dying while he was tied up, or seeing her with another man instead of him the night they made love. He was forced to see her say the same things with the same emotions she had said to him that night. 

"It may have been a month here, but it appears that seventeen, eighteen years went by wherever he was," Wesley continued. Buffy looked back at Angel with tears in her eyes.

"No. It can't be true, It just can't," she said as she collapsed to the floor on her knees. Angel quickly dropped down as Buffy began to cry. He held her.

"Shh. it's ok," he told her. He realized it was a lot for her to deal with and it was late so he lifted her up and carried her into their bedroom and told her to get some rest. A few minutes later, he came back down.

"Is she alright?" Gunn asked as Angel climbed down the stairs.

"She's been through a lot. Even when she moved back to Sunnydale, I mean, she's pretty much stopped eating all together, and she hasn't been sleeping well," he told them. "With tonight's news, it's a lot to deal with. She's exhausted," 

"What about you? How you holdin' up?" Gunn asked.

"I'll make it. I just want to find out if the kid that came in here earlier really was my son or not," Angel told them as he plopped down on the couch. He looked at everyone and noticed they were tired.

"You guys go to bed. It's late, and it's better to think with a fresh mind," he told them. "Cordy, Gunn, why don't you guys stay here tonight? We have plenty of rooms to spare," Angel suggested as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"What are you going to do, just sit here?" Wesley asked. Angel looked up and nodded. 

"Yeah. I'm going to sit here for a while, try to figure something out before I go to bed," he explained. The group then began upstairs. Angel sat in the lobby in silence, trying to figure out what he was going to do. 


	8. Ch7

****

CHAPTER 7

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note II: Come on guys, I need more thoughts on including the Connor/Cordy relationship!! My mind is still un-decided! PLEASE let me know what you think. Im me at Naskt8@aol.com and let me know! Have the Subject be 'Cordy/Connor Opinion'. This is MUCH appreciated!!

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

The next day, Buffy finally came down stairs. Everyone was eating breakfast, and Angel was sitting on the couch. He seemed to be thinking about something; about Connor she assumed.

Angel sensed Buffy's presence and instantly looked towards the stairs where he saw her walking down looking a little more together then last night. 

"Hey, you doing ok?" Angel asked as he walked over to her. Everyone else noticed Buffy was downstairs, but they stayed quiet while Angel talked to Buffy. She nodded quickly.

"Have you guys found anything yet?" she asked hopefully.

"Not yet. It's a little hard when we don't even know what dimension he grew up in," Wesley told her. Angel then remembered with last night's events, he hadn't had a chance to introduce Buffy to Fred.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Buffy, this is Fred; Fred, this is Buffy," he said introducing the two. Fred walked over to Buffy.

"It's nice to meet you," she told her truthfully. Buffy nodded.

"You too," she told her.

"Too bad it wasn't under better circumstances," Fred told her. Buffy then remembered what Angel had told her about Connor's growth. She suddenly felt dizzy. Angel looked at her and noticed something was wrong.

"Are you alright?" he asked concerned. Buffy looked at him and tried to smile. 

"I don't know. All of a sudden I feel, weird," she told him. Angel continued to look at her concerned.

"I, I just need some aspirin, then I'm going back upstairs and try to get some sleep," she told him before she left the room. Fred looked at Angel worriedly.

"Is she going to be ok?" she asked. 

"I think the shock's just setting in about Connor's age." Wesley looked at Angel.

"How about you. You've been very calm since you found out," Wesley pointed out.

"I can handle it," he assured them "At least he's back in this dimension." Buffy then walked back in the room and headed for the stairs. Angel softly grabbed her arm as she walked past him. He pulled her closer and kissed her on the forehead.

"It'll be ok. We'll find him," he promised. Buffy looked up at him and gave him a weak smile before returning back to the room. 

****

* * *

A few hours later, Angel got up and put the book he was looking through down and sighed. They had been searching through books all morning, and now it was late afternoon.

"No luck?" Lorne asked as he put down his book and looked at his boss.

"I just wish we could find him," Angel told them as he scratched the back of his head in frustration.

"Be careful what you wish for," A voice said from behind. Angel quickly turned around to see a young man standing in the doorway with a device that shot out stakes, strapped to his arm; pointing straight at Angel. 

"Hello Dad," Connor said. Before Angel could react from the shock of seeing his son, Connor fired a stake at him. The stake hit Angel in the chest only inches from his heart. Connor fired again, but Angel quickly moved out of its path this time.

"Interesting." Connor said to Angel as he pointed the launcher towards him once more.

"Oh my god, it's you!" Angel realized just before dodging a few more stakes. Angel fell to the floor in pain as he was hit with another one. He looked down to see a stake sticking from his chest; inches away from his heart. 

Gunn and Wesley quickly took over trying to get Connor, but failed horribly as Connor took the both down once more. Gunn swept Connor's feet from under him, and Connor fell to the floor. 

"Stop," Angel said as he slowly got up and walked over to Connor. Angel held his hand out to help him up, but Connor refused it. He quickly got back up on his feet, and ran out of the hotel, into the daylight where he knew Angel couldn't follow. 

Suddenly, Buffy ran down the stairs after hearing the commotion from upstairs. She looked around worriedly. 

"What the hell happened?" Buffy asked from the stairs as she quickly ran down the steps.

"Connor wait!" Angel shouted as he ran out to catch him; forgetting about the sunlight.

"Angel, no!" Gunn exclaimed as he and Wesley ran after him. 

"Angel!" Buffy exclaimed as she ran down the stairs. She was relieved when she reached the outdoors to find Wesley and Gun had caught up to Angel and was able to stop him inches before he reached the sunlight. Just then as Buffy looked up, she caught a glimpse of Connor running behind a bus.

"Oh my god, Connor!" she yelled as she began after him, but he was too fast and he escaped by jumping on the top of a passing bus. Buffy watched as he stood on top of the moving bus and disappeared down the road. 

Buffy quickly ran back over to Angel. As she knelt beside him she noticed a wound on Angel's chest, and could tell that the wound was made from a stake. 

"Angel!" Buffy said worriedly as she put her hand on his bleeding wound. Apparently Angel had already pulled the stake out. Buffy quickly looked over at Wesley.

"Wes, give me a hand," she said as she began to help Angel up. She knew that his injury needed to be cleaned up, and fast. She also realized she needed to get him back into the hotel where it'd be a lot safer. 

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked as Angel collapsed down on the couch. Gunn walked over to her and handed her some gauze and some tape for her to bandage him up. She looks up at him and silently thanked him as she immediately began to work on cleaning and bandaging up Angel's wound.

"Fred, you know how to run a computer, right?" Gunn asked.

"It's been a while, but yeah. I think so, why?" she asked.

"Let's see if we can look up where the bus is headed," he suggested. 

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," she said as she walked over to the computer and began to search. 

"The bus is on its way downtown," Fred called out a few minutes later as she looked up from the computer at the front desk. 

Buffy looked at Angel worriedly as she finished bandaging him up. 

"Is that ok?" she asked. Angel nodded as he started to get up.

"'Maybe you shouldn't." Buffy began. Angel got up anyways and winced in pain as he got up.

"I have to find him before we loose his trail." he told Buffy in between clutched teeth. 

"Are you kidding me? You were almost staked," Buffy reminded him. "You could get yourself killed!"

"I have to go after him Buffy," he told her as he began to button up his shirt. "I'll be ok," he assured her.

"But Angel, what if he's out somewhere in broad daylight? What are you going to do?" she asked. 

"Well first, I'm going to track him through the tunnels," he told her. Buffy still didn't look convinced.

"I'll track him by foot on the surface," Gunn volunteered. 

"I'll go too," she told him. Angel shook his head.

"It's not safe; you'd better stay here," he told her.

"No. Don't do this to me, Angel. He is my son too," she reminded him. 

"Buffy, your exhausted, and you might get hurt," he told her. "I want you to stay here with Fred, Lorne, and Wesley," he told her. "I shouldn't take too long," he said before going down to the basement and into the sewers.

"I'd better be going too," Gunn said as he began towards the door. He turned around and looked at Buffy, who was hugging herself worriedly. "Oh, and about Connor; I think he got your fighting traits, cause he's good," he told her before he left. 

Fred walked over to Buffy to comfort her.

"They'll find him. With Angel covering the sewers, and Charles covering the surface, they're sure to find him," she assured her.

"Thanks Fred," Buffy told her. Fred smiled at her. "I'm going up to my room. If you guys hear anything," Buffy asked.

"We'll let you know," Wesley told her. Buffy nodded and walked up the stairs. She had to call home and give them an update as she promised.

She sighed as she sat down on the bed and reached for the phone. She knew her mother would be waiting for her phone call. Dawn as well since she had missed Connor as much as everyone else. 

"Hello?" An eager voice answered. Buffy smiled as she recognized her sister's voice.

"Hey Dawn," Buffy said.

"Buffy, I'm glad you called! Was it Connor? Is he all right? When are you coming home?" Dawn asked all at once.

"Dawn, is mom there? I need to talk to her," she told her sister not wanting to tell her yet what was going on. 

"Is everything alright?" she asked worriedly. 

"Ah, yeah everything's fine," she lied. She heard her sister sigh.

"Fine. Here she is," Dawn told her as she handed the phone to her mother. Buffy took a deep breath.

"Honey, is everything alright?" Joyce asked.

"Not really. Everything's all messed up," she told her mother. 

"Why, what's wrong?" 

"It was him; it was Connor they saw," she told her mother, "Only he was...older," 

"What do you mean older?" Joyce asked confused. 

"I mean, he's not a baby anymore. He's a teenager," she told her mother in a saddened voice. 

"A what? How is that possible?" she asked sounding even more confused. Buffy sighed.

"I don't know. Wesley said the reason for his age difference is because he grew up in a different dimension where time there moves different from ours," Buffy explained.

"A different dimension! Buffy, is he all right? I mean, he's not hurt or anything, right?"

"Ah no, he didn't look hurt, but all I saw was him running off; after he stabbed Angel in the chest," Buffy told her.

"Oh god, is Angel-"

"No. No, he missed; barely, but Angel's going to be ok." Buffy explained. "Angel and Gunn are out right now looking for him," 

"Well, did Connor know who you two were?" Buffy thought about her mother's question for a second before answering.

"Well, he, he didn't see me. I came down just in time to see him running off, but I have a feeling he was brainwashed or something, and now for some reason, he's out to kill Angel," she told Joyce.

"I really don't like this, Buffy maybe you should come back home," Joyce suggested.

"No mom, I can't. Connor's my son. I won't give up on him," she told her mother honestly. 

"Alright honey, but just be careful," she told Buffy. 

"I will." she promised before hanging up.

****

* * *

Angel watched from the shadows as Gunn walked over to him. By night fall, Gunn and Angel ended up downtown at a building where cops were all around. He to listen to what the police were talking about, trying to find out what was going on.

"I think it's safe to say your son's been here," Gunn said as he motioned over towards the police commotion. 

"Should I continue tracking him?" Gunn asked. Angel shook his head.

"No. I'd better take the trail from here. I don't want to scare him," he explained.

"Alright then, I'll head back to the hotel in case he decides to come after Buffy." Gunn told him.

"Good idea," he said. He then backed up and disappeared back into the shadows in search of his son. 

A little while later, Angel's searching led to an old abandoned motel. As he walked closer to the abandoned place, he instantly picked up his son's scent. As soon as Angel walked in, and could sense Connor was close by. He slowly walked over to the bathroom where heard movement coming from. Slowly and carefully, he pushed the door open. 

Connor was kneeling beside a young girl who appeared to be about the same age as him; another run away as well. Angel knew instantly that the young girl was dead. He looked down and instantly noticed a syringe poked into the girl's arm, which would explain the young girls death.

He looked back over to Connor, who was upset and on the verge of tears. Angel walked over to Connor and knelt down beside him.

"Connor, I'm-," he began. He then noticed the bottle of drugs in Connor's hand. Angel looked up at Connor in shock. He quickly grabbed Connor's arm and began to check for needle marks, but quickly found none. Connor pulled his arm away from Angel.

"I didn't take any," he told him truthfully. He looked back over to the girl. "She said it was medicine, but I knew it really wasn't." he confessed. 

"Connor, let me help you." Angel offered. 

"It's too late." Connor replied. He looked at the dead girl for a few more seconds before angrily wiping away the few tears that he had shed. He quickly got up and walked out of the small bathroom. 

Angel got up and quickly walked out into the other room. He watched as Connor picked up a jacket from the old beat up couch and brought it up to his face, smelling it. Angel quickly realized his son had superhuman powers, which he had expected when he was born.

Angel grabbed Connor's arm and spun him around. "Connor don't. Now I know-" Angel began.

"No you don't know!" he said before pulling his hand back. 

"Look, it's not safe for you out there," he told Connor, trying to talk to get through to him. Angel didn't want to loose him now, not after he had found him. 

"I can take care of myself." he told Angel. Angel smiled, remembering how Gunn and Wesley went on about how strong Connor was and how well he had fought. 

"I've heard," he assured his son. The two stood there in an awkward silence as they looked at each other.

"Look, Connor, I don't know how you were brought back here, but, were so glad your back," he told his son. 

Connor looked at Angel confused. "We?" he repeated. 

"Buffy, I mean your mother and I," he explained. 

"The Slayer, right?" Connor asked. Angel looked at him a little surprised that he knew about Buffy.

"Good call, but how'd-" he began.

"Holtz told me." Connor told him quickly.

"He told me that you didn't want me," Connor told him, his gaze to the floor. Angel walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

"That's not true. You are very much wanted." Angel told him. "And your mother and I loved you; and _still _love you," he told Connor truthfully. "I would give my life to save you." 

Connor looked up at Angel. "My fath-" Connor began. "Holtz said that you were a killer," Connor told him. Angel sighed before making his face change, showing Connor his second face. 

"I was a killer, a long time ago. Back when I was Angelus," he told him, then changed his face back. Connor looked at him surprised. 

"Was that what Holtz said my name was?" Angel asked. Connor nodded. Angel stood in silence once more for a few moments and realized he would never really pay for all that Angelus had done. 

"I am so sorry I didn't try harder to find you." Angel told him. Months had gone by after Connor had been kidnapped, and every day he had been so upset with himself for not being able to find his own son. 

"It's alright. I lived; I took care of myself." Connor told him. Angel smiled at the sight his long lost son. He couldn't help but notice how much he looked like Buffy. He remembered that when Connor was first born, everyone had said that he looked like him. 

Angel was quickly dragged from thought as a rugged looking guy broke down the door, his gang closely following.

"Hey guys, what seems to be the problem?" Angel asked. The leader walked up to Angel.

"The little runt here cut off my ear," Tyke; the leader said as he pointed to Connor. Angel turned around and looked at Connor surprised. Connor shrugged.

"He bugged me." Connor explained. Angel turned back towards the gang.

"I'm sure we can talk about this, huh?" Angel suggested. Just then, another member of the gang ran in with a worried face.

"The cops are surrounding the place!" he announced. Tyke; not seeming to be fazed by the news turned back towards Angel.

"Yeah we can talk about this; after I kill him," he said pointing to Connor. Angel growled at him and he could feel his anger rise as his face yet again morphed. 

"Alright, that's it. Now _your _bugging _me_," Angel said as he grabbed Tykes arm and twisted it. The man screamed in pain as Angel twisted his arm further. The other gang members tightened up their fists, and prepared themselves to fight both Connor and Angel.

"Now you tell your boys here to get back before you loose another part tonight," Angel growled.

"Get back you guys!" Tyke screamed. The men looked at each other for a second, then stepped back upon command. Unbeknownst to both Angel and Connor, one of the members of the gang had come in through an opening in back of them. 

"Now you take your little gang, and scram. Leave my son alone, and if I ever hear about any of you coming near him again; I _will_ kill you," he promised. A few of the gang members smiled at him.

"You think it's funny?" Angel asked just as one of them grabbed Connor from behind. Just then, a group of police managed to punch through the wall with massive fire, sending both the gang member and Connor to the ground. Angel quickly released Tyke as the police began to enter the room. Connor slowly stood up with his hands held high. 

An officer then walked in with a shotgun. 

"Everyone drop your weapons!" The officer commanded. Angel looked at Connor worriedly.

"Connor; out the window, quick!" Angel shouted. Connor quickly ran over to the window, but hesitated, not sure if he trusted Angel completely. One of the officer aimed his gun at Connor, but Angel quickly ran in front of the officer; taking the bullets that were meant for Connor, in the back. Connor looked back at Angel surprised as he ran towards him. He put his hand on Connor's back as they both leaped out the window.

****

* * *

Outside, Angel and Connor were careful and hid in the shadows to avoid the police units as they snuck away from the building. As they reach safe distance away from the building, and the two begin to walk out from the shadows, Connor noticed Angel walking slower than him from being shot. 

"Are you going to, you know, be alright?" Connor asked. Angel smiled at him.

"I'll live." he told him. The gunshot wound stung like a bee sting, but he'd live. It wasn't the first time he got shot, and he knew it wouldn't be the last.

"Thanks for doing that back there," Connor said sounding surprised that Angel had taken the bullets for him.

"Your welcome." he said as they continued to walk down the street. The two walked in silence for a few minutes. 

"You know, if you have know where's else to stay, you can always come back with me," Angel offered. Connor shook his head.

"No. I'm alright." he said. 

"You're not alone; you know that, right?" he asked as he stopped walking and turned to face his son. Connor looked up at him.

"Yeah, I know." he said. He then ran off into a dark alleyway, leaving Angel to return back home alone without Connor. 

Angel sighed as he watched his son run off. 


	9. Ch8

****

CHAPTER 8

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

Angel walked into the hotel slowly and painfully as he made his way to the couch; the back of his shirt now covered in blood. 

"Oh my god, Angel are you alright?" Fred asked as Angel painfully took off his black shirt. 

"Buffy!" Fred called out as she walked over to help Angel. A few seconds later, Buffy came running down the stairs. 

"Angel! What happened?" Buffy asked as she noticed the back of his shirt covered with blood. Fred moved out of the way as Buffy ran over towards him.

"I'm ok." he assured her as he pulled up a chair and sat in it backwards, making it an easier access for Buffy to pull out the bullets. "Just get the bullets out," he pleaded. 

"Yeah," she said as she knelt down and waited for Fred. A few seconds later, Fred came back with a pair of tweezers, peroxide, and a towel. 

"Here." she said as she quickly handed the equipment to Buffy. 

"Thanks Fred," Buffy said as she grabbed the tweezers and began to work on Angel. Gunn and Lorne then walked in.

"Holy hell demons! Angel, what happened to you?" Lorne asked as they walked over to them. 

"Was it Connor?" Buffy asked. She bit her lip as she began to work on pulling the bullet out of Angel's back, and waiting for an answer. She hoped it wasn't.

Angel growled in pain as Buffy pulled one of the bullets out of his back.

"Sorry." she said. 

"It's ok, and no, it wasn't Connor. I found him in an old run down motel," he explained in between clenched teeth as Buffy pulled out another bullet. 

"Got it!" Buffy announced as she pulled out the last bullet. "Was he ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, but his friend died of an overdose. I found her in the bathroom." he told them. 

"God, poor Connor," Buffy said feeling even worse for him. "But that still doesn't explain the bullet's in your back." Buffy pointed out. 

"It seems that Connor has already made some enemies; gang members; but don't worry. The cops came and took them away; shooting me in the process, but.." he explained as Buffy began to bandage the wounds on his back. 

"He didn't try to kick the crap out of you or anything?" Gunn asked surprised. Angel shook his head.

"We talked afterwards, and we came to a truce- I think," Angel told him as Buffy finished bandaging him up. 

"Angel, I'm worried. Shouldn't we be out there, bringing him home?" she asked as Angel stood up. 

"Buffy, I want him back as much as you do but we can't force him to come back with us," he told her. 

"But what are we supposed to do, just wait until our son decides to return on his own?" Buffy asked. 

Angel walked over to Buffy and hugged her careful so that he wouldn't hurt his wounds; knowing this was hard on her, but he also knew that their son could take care of himself; especially after surviving in a hell-dimension.

"He'll be ok Buffy," he promised.

****

* * *

"Hey Fred, have your seen Angel?" Cordy asked as she walked over to the desk where Fred was looking for information on the computer. She looked up and smiled brightly at Cordy.

"He's in the basement… or well, training room; I think," she explained. 

"Thanks," Cordy said as she headed down to the basement, which had become a training room. She shut the door behind her and walked over to Angel, who was beating on a punching bag.

"Angel, are you ok?" Cordy asked. 

"Why do you ask that?" he asked as he continued to punch the bag.

"I don't know; you've been down here since you woke up, and now since it's nighttime… you see where I'm going with this?" she asked. "I was just making sure you were alright with seeing Connor," Cordy explained.

"Yeah, I'm ok," he told her. He then stopped and turned towards Cordy.

"It's just; I know that there's a possibility that Connor may not return," he told her. 

"But Angel, he's-" she began.

"I know he's back, but he may not come back to me; to us. Too much time has passed, and I have a feeling we really did loose him," Angel explained just before Buffy walked in.

"Hey guys, am I interrupting something?" she asked. 

"No, we were just talking about...fighting tactics," Cordy lied. "But, I've gotta get back to helping Fred and Wes with the research," Cordy said before she left. 

"What's up?" Angel asked after Cordy shut the door.

"Nothing. I just wanted to train down here with you; if that's ok?" Buffy explained as she walked over to Angel. He smiled at her.

"Sure, of coarse," he told her. 

****

* * *

Fred looked up from the computer screen a few hours later. She had been looking up some information Wes had asked her to research. She jumped in surprise to see Connor walk in the hotel. 

"Connor?" Fred asked, not sure whether or not he was going to attack or not.

"Hey," Connor said casually, his hands in his pockets as his eyes gazed around the lobby. Just then, Angel walked out of the training room with a towel draped over his shoulder. He instantly noticed Connor as well and stopped in his tracks as he pulled the towel off from his shoulder and patted his arm.

"Connor; hey, what brings you by?" Angel asked, happy to see Connor again. He then realized that Fred had seen Connor before, but they hadn't really been introduced.

"Oh, Fred, this is Connor; Connor, Fred," Angel said introducing them. Connor nodded towards them.

"Hi," he said before looking back at Angel. "I had nothing else to do, so I decided I'd just stop by; is that ok?" he asks quickly.

"Yeah. Of coarse," he assures his son. 

"Angel are you still taking a break? I need you back down there," Buffy said unaware of Connor being there, as she walked out from the training room slightly out of breath. As she walked into the room, she realized there was company. She gasped as she realized who was there. 

"It's…" she said as she walks over towards Angel not taking her eyes off of Connor.

"Yeah, Buffy, it's Connor," Angel told her as she slowly walked towards him. He knew she had been waiting for this moment for a long time. He also knew that with her being the mother, she'd react differently through this whole thing than he would.

"Ah, hey," Connor said not knowing how to react. Buffy then hugged him tightly. 

"Buffy, I think you're um, cutting off his air supply," Angel said. Buffy pulled away with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's just..." Buffy said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Connor smiled.

"That's ok," he said just as Cordy got a vision. Connor looked over at Cordy confused.

"Is she ok?" Connor asked as he pointed to her. Angel turned around to see Cordy receiving a vision. Ever since she had chosen to become part demon, her visions no longer came so painfully to her. 

"That?" Angel asked as he turned back around towards Connor. "That was, uh…" he began trying to think of where to begin.

"Cordy having a vision," Buffy explained as she began to walk over towards her. "What'd you see?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, there's a woman at a bar, with a gang of vampires after her," Cordy explained.

"I guess I'd better get a move on," Angel said as he grabbed his coat. He looked back over to Buffy; who wasn't making a move to leave. "Buffy, is something wrong?" he asked as he walked back over to her.

"No, I'd better um, stay here," she told him. Angel looked at her confused, but he didn't have time to figure out why she was acting weird. 

"Alright, I'll go then," he said. He then looked over at Connor who was looking at everyone weird.

"That's Cordy. She gets visions from..." Angel began. "Long story, but then I go and..." Angel tried again to explain his 'Job'. He sighed, knowing even if he told his son, it wouldn't make since. 

"Tell you what. Why don't you come with me? I could use back up since Buffy isn't coming along," he said. Connor nodded.

"Sure. Sounds like fun," he told Angel. "Besides, I've never been in a bar," Connor told them. Buffy shot a look at Angel saying 'Don't get any ideas!' Angel smiled at her before walking over to Connor.

"Come on," he said motioning him to the door. Buffy sighed as she watched them leave. 

"Ok, I'm officially confused," Cordy said looking at Buffy. "Why didn't you go with them?" she asked. Buffy sighed.

"I don't know. It's just weird seeing my son as a teenager, who barely knows me," she explained.

"Buffy, he grew up in a hell dimension. You've gotta give him time to adjust to all of this. He probably feels the same way you do about all this," Cordy told her. 

Buffy continued to look at the direction where Angel and Connor had left only moments ago. 

"I'll be downstairs blowing off steam," she told her before disappearing.


	10. Ch9

****

CHAPTER 9

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: Alright, well, for those of you who have been keeping up with this story, you may notice that I've made a few changes. If you're just reading this, don't worry about it. You see, I just saw the episode on the episode 'benediction' on Angel; So I wanted to change a few dialogue parts on this part. Nothing big tho, just giving you a heads up!

By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Angel and Connor finally arrived at a crowded nightclub with raging techno music filling the building, armed with stakes, and ready to spring into action. Angel looked over at Connor and noticed he wasn't armed with any weapons. He carefully pulled out an extra stake from his coat and handed it to him as they walk through the dancing crowd. 

"Wait until you see their game face before staking them," Angel told him as they continued to look for the gang of vampires Cordelia saw in her vision. 

"Why do you kill those like you?" Connor asked suddenly. Angel stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"To make amends," he answers simply. By the look on Connor's face, he didn't seem to understand. 

"Long story." he explained as he continued to look through the group of people. He looked over at the bartender and watched as the bartender all of a sudden morphed into one of a vampire. 

"Did you see-" Connor began, surprised as he saw the change as well. Angel nodded.

"Yeah, let's go," he said as he picked up his pace and walked over to the bartender. Connor followed, copying Angel's moves as they beat down the bar tender. Then suddenly the group of vampires they were looking for to begin with walked over to them.

"Looks like we found that group of vamps we were looking for," Connor told Angel who was busy staking the bartender.

"Oh…good," Angel said sarcastically as he spun around and began to attack the group alongside Connor. By now, half the club were watching the two of them as they staked the vampires one by one. As he fought along side Connor, he couldn't help but notice how good his son's moves were. He then realized that by how good Connor's moves were that he'd been practicing for a while. A few minutes later, the two of them ended up chasing the vampires into a back alley where Connor quickly dusts one. Angel smiled at Connor as he witnessed his first dusting. It took only a few more minutes before the last vampire was dusted and they were done. 

"Well, that was fun," Connor said as he brushed the dust off of his worn clothes.

"You were great back there," Angel told him truthfully. 

"Thanks," Connor said. The two went silent for a moment as they continued to walk down the alley. 

"So…my mothers _thee_ Vampire Slayer?" Connor asked remembering Holtz had told him about his real parents. 

"Yeah, she is," Angel said.

"And you're a vampire. How'd you two swing that?" Connor asked curiously. Angel laughed.

"It's a long story," Angel assured him. "I'll tell you about it sometime if you want." 

"Do I have any little brothers or sisters?" he asked curiously. 

"No, no you're our first child," he told him. "And how things are now, you're probably going to be our only child." he added. Connor looked at him.

"Why can't you guys have any more kids?" he asked.

"There are a lot of reason's why," he told him truthfully. "But I think that deep down, she wants another baby sometime in the future. A little girl to do all those girlie things with," he said. Connor laughed.

"She didn't get a chance to try to do those things with me, right?" he asked quickly Angel smiled.

"No, you were mine. Daddy's boy," he explained. "I mean, you loved us both, you just liked it better when I was in the room with you," he said. 

"Cool." he said. 

"Yeah, and one of your mother's friends, Xander, you really liked him too," he told him.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Oh yeah. Probably because he acted your age, but…." he trailed off.

"Why, you don't like him?" Connor asked. 

"It's not that I hate him, but he just kinda bugs me," he said. "Plus it didn't help that he used to have a crush on your mom." he added. Connor looked at him in disbelief.

"No way. So did you have to like fight him or something?" he asked. Angel shook his head.

"No, unfortunately Buffy wouldn't let me," he explained. Connor nodded. Angel smiled with the idea he had just thought of.

"Why don't you show me a few of your moves?" he suggested. 

"Alright," Connor said, surprised by Angel's suggestion. Angel handed him a stake. The two then began to play fight in the alley as Angel gave him pointers on how to fight. Both Angel and Connor smiled and laughed as they began to really bond for the first time.

Unbeknownst to them, Holtz watched in the dark shadows as his 'adopted' son smiled and played with his mortal enemy, but true father.

****

* * *

Back at the hotel, Angel sat in his room re-telling the night's events to Buffy with sheer pride in his voice.

"You should've seen his skills Buffy, the guys weren't kidding when they said he could fight," he told her.

"But he's alright?" she asked. Angel nodded.

"Angel, do you think he'll ever come back to us?" Buffy asked. "I mean, will we ever be a family again?" 

"It'll take some time, but I think we can do it," he told her honestly. Buffy nodded. 

"But what I can't figure out is why you didn't want to come along with us?" Angel asked. Buffy sighed.

"Angel, it's not that I didn't want to, I wanted to. It's just, I'm still trying to make since of all of this, its been hard," she explained.

"I know. It has," he agreed. He then reached over and pulled her into a hug. 

*** * ***

Downstairs, Fred finally stumbled onto some information that could explain where Connor had grown up. She was about to go upstairs and tell Angel and Buffy when they both walked down the stairs.

"Oh, hi guys. I was just going to get you," Fred said as she stood up.

"Why what's wrong?" Buffy asked. Knowing the luck they've had during the past week, something bad was about to happen.

"Nothing's wrong; really. It's just, well, I think I've found something on hell dimensions, and I think I may know where Connor was," she told them as she handed them the book. 

"My son grew up in Quor-toth? " Angel asked after reading what he had found. 

"I think so, I mean, it's the closest hell dimension, and it would explain a lot," Fred told him.

"What is Quor-toth?" Buffy asked. Angel looked up at her.

"It's a brutal hell dimension from what I've heard and read. Like the one I was sent to," he told her. Buffy looked at him as she remembered sending him to hell. A shiver went up her spine as she thought of their child growing up in a place like that, and surviving. 

"But Angel, when you came back you-" she began remembering how Angel had been when she ran into him in the woods after he came back. He had been like an animal, and she remembered how she could tell that he had been tortured.

"But I was in a different hell dimension. There are many dimensions, Buffy. He grew up in a different one; less brutal, but still," he explained.

"This is good, right?" Fred asked. 

"Yes, yes it is. Thanks Fred," Angel said as he walked onto his office with the book. Buffy looked at Fred, then over to Angel's office.

****

* * *

Later that night, Lorne was getting ready to turn in for the night, getting a drink, when Connor walked in unexpectedly. 

"Oh, hey there kiddo. You looking for your dad? I'll go up and get him," Lorne started up the stairs. He turned around when he realized Connor wasn't following. "Come on." Lorne started up the stairs once more.

"I'm not going anywhere with you; you're a _demon_," Connor said in an angry tone. Lorne stopped and turned back around.

"Alright, I'm going to ignore that since you grew up in a hell dimension," Lorne began. "But just remember it's _uncle _demon. I was changing your diapers no more then a few months ago." Connor continued to glare at him. All of a sudden, Cordelia walked into the room from hearing the commotion.

"Hey, hey, hey; What's going on in here? I was about to turn in for the night when I heard yelling," Cordelia said. She looked at Connor, who was still looking at Lorne angrily.

"Junior here comes into the hotel and thinks I'm a bad demon; which I'm not may I add," Lorne explained. Cordy looked at Connor.

"Come here," she said in a low voice as she motioned to the round couch in the lobby. "I know things may seem really bizarre here; it's understandable; but Lorne is a good demon," she said. "There are demons in this planet that are good. Look at me." Connor looked at her confused .

"I'm part demon," she explained. "I mean, I chose to be to help people. For a while, I wasn't able to handle the visions. I was then given a choice; my head blow out next time I get a vision, or…become half demon." Connor looked at her shocked. 

"Well, also so that the back of my skull wouldn't-" Before she could finished, Connor quickly whipped his knife out and held it to Cordelia's throat. 


	11. Ch10

****

CHAPTER 10

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Lorne ran towards Connor to try to stop him, but he was no match. Connor shoved Lorne to the ground before pinning Cordy to the desk with his knife still held at her throat. Cordelia remained calm, even as she had a knife to her throat. She then began to glow with the new demon powers she had just realized received recently. The light covered Connor as well as the knife, which disappeared as soon as the light touched it. Angel and Buffy both ran out of their room and watch at the top of the staircase as Cordy calmed their son. Connor's anger disappeared as Cordy slowly sat up, and began to comfort him.

"Let it go, honey. You don't need any of that," she told him. Connor looked up at her before finally breaking down and began to cry on her shoulder. Angel and Buffy both watched from above as Connor began to heal from all of the years spent in Quor-toth. 

After a few minutes of crying in Cordelia's shoulder, Connor backed away giving himself some distance between him and Cordelia, trying to compose himself once more. 

"Cordy, are you ok?" Angel asked as he walked over to Cordy. He could tell as he put his hand on her arm that she had been weakened by whatever it was she had just done. Buffy walked over towards Connor, who appeared slightly shocked and confused. 

"Wow, those are some powers," Lorne said impressed as he walked over to her. Cordelia smiled weakly.

"Thanks, but it kinda drained me," she told him as she walked over to the couch. "Wow, I had no idea that would take so much energy out of me," Cordy confessed as she sat down.

"I knew I could sense something when he came here tonight, and it wasn't bad karma," Lorne told them.

"What do you mean?" Angel asked. 

"Well, He was toxic. He was sick from the dimension he grew up in," Lorne explained. Buffy looked over at Cordy.

"What'd you do to him anyways?" she asked curiously. Cordelia looked over at Buffy, who was still standing beside Connor. 

"I gave him a soul colonic. But don't worry, he's now all cleansed from the hell dimension," Cordy explained. Buffy nodded as she focused her attention back to her son.

"Thanks Cordy," Angel said. He was thankful that his son was now cleansed from the hell dimension he grew up. It would now be easier to win his son back. Angel walked over to Connor and sat down beside him.

"Hey pal; how you doing?" he asked as Buffy sat on the other side of him.

"I tried to kill your friend," Connor said.

"She's used to it," Angel told him. Buffy stifled a laugh at his comment. It was true though, Cordelia was used to trying to be killed. 

"I should go," Connor said as he stood up. Angel stood up quickly and quickly got in front of him. 

"Look, you should stay here.," Angel said. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but this is your home," he told him.

"I don't have a home," Connor said. Buffy walked over to him.

"No you do. You just don't remember; you were too young. This is your home," Buffy assured him. "Would you please stay with us?" he asked him. Connor thought back to Holtz's words earlier. '_You must return to Angel; It's your destiny to be with your true father. I don't have answers to the questions you have; he does..' _Connor became confused, and didn't know what to do. Before he could give any sort of answer, Gunn and Fred came walking in through the front door. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but can I talk to you for a second; alone?" Gunn asked motioning to Angel's office. Angel looked at Gunn confused, but he headed to his office along with Gunn, leaving a confused and curious Buffy in the lobby along with everyone else. 

****

* * *

Angel looked up at Gunn in disbelief. The news Gunn had has just told him was unbelievable. He never would have believed it if the news had came from someone else.

"And your sure?" he asked. Gunn nodded.

"Fred saw it too. Wanna ask her?" he asked as he motioned to Angel's door.

"No. That's alright," Angle said. He then fell silent and began to think. Now that Holtz was back in this dimension he could get revenge for taking his son away from him… 

"Could you and Fred take Connor out for a while?" Angel asked. 

"Why? What are planning on doing?" he asked quickly recognizing the look on Angel's face. 

"I'm going to pay a little visit to Holtz," he explained. Gunn looked at Angel and nodded.

"Yeah, sure," he told him. Cordelia decided to speak up. She had followed the men in and had been standing beside the door as Gunn explained what he saw to Angel.

"Angel, don't do this," Cordelia said as Angel grabbed his coat. Gunn was already out the door and in the lobby.

"I'm not going to kill him," he assured her. "As much as he deserves it," he added.

"Holtz? Oh you should so kill him. He robbed Connor of his childhood. I was talking about your son.." Angel looked her, not following what she was getting at.

"He's only been in this dimension for a few days. Lying to him? Not the best way to build up the trust," Cordy explained.

"I'm not lying to him," Angel said.

"No, your just distracting him so that you can go and confront the man your son calls his father," Cordelia said.

"Look, Cordy, I know what your saying, but it was my son that was stolen from me; not yours," he said before walking out of the lobby . He looked over at Connor.

"Fred and Gunn are going to take you to the beach while Buffy and I go out for a while," he told him. Connor nodded.

"Where are we going?" Buffy asked following Angel out the door. 

"I'll tell you on the way," he said under his breath as they walked out the door.

****

* * *

"This is an ocean?" Connor asked as he Fred, and Gunn stood on the beach looking at it. Angel had asked Gunn to take him to a place that wasn't so ugly, and this was the first place he thought of. He and Fred had gone there once on a date.

"Yup," Gunn assured him. Connor just looked ahead at the large body of water, not seeing what was so great about it.

"My father told me about this. I didn't know it was so flat though," Connor noted.

"What your seeing is just the surface, below the surface is like a whole other universe," Fred explained.

"I never saw one before growing up in Quor-toth," he began. "Here, its…weird and strange," Connor said. Fred smiled knowing where he was coming from.

"I know what you mean. I was kidnapped and spent five years in another dimension. When I came back here I felt like everything had gone and changed on me," she explained. Connor began to walk towards the ocean.

"Connor, uh, yo!" Gunn said.

"Charles. Let him go," Fred said as she watched Connor study the surroundings. "This feels weird being here while Angel and Buffy are out…" she trailed off.

"Yeah, well whether Angel kills or not, he's out for blood," Gunn explained. "Well actually, he said he'd deal with it his own way, which if _I _was him and _my _only kid was taken by _my _enemy you'd bet your ass I'd be out for blood," Gunn added. Connor slowly turned around towards them. Fred and Gunn looked at him worriedly. 

"NO, no way; not possible. There's no way he could have heard us," Gunn said as he and Fred looked at Connor worriedly.

"I think he did," Fred said. Connor's hearing as well as his other senses had been heightened because of Buffy and Angel's superhuman powers, so he was able to hear Fred and Gunn's conversation; despite the fat that they were talking low, and they were up on the beach while he was by the chore line. . Connor realized that they were distracting him so that Angel could track Holtz down. Without a second thought Connor quickly took off running from the beach to warn Holtz. 

"Connor, wait!" Gunn shouted as he ran after him; trying to catch up to Connor, but it was no use. He was just as fast as Angel and Buffy were.


	12. Ch11

****

CHAPTER 11

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: Two more chapters left!! Then I'll be posting the little that I have already wrote for the third and final part in this trilogy! Hope you guys are enjoying this! But PLEASE!! E-mail me and let me know what you think about including the Cordy/Connor thing next part! I gotta decide soon!!

By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

In Holtz's hotel room on the other side of town, he finished up a letter for Connor, knowing he would never see him again after that night. Just then, Holtz looked up as he sensed Angel's presence before he barge in with Buffy following behind him. 

"I knew the two of you would show up here sooner or later," Holtz said as he stood up. Angel growled as he ran over to him and slammed him against the wall with his hand wrapped around his neck.

"I should kill you for what you did!" Angel snarled as he tightened his grip on Holtz's neck. Buffy remained behind Angel.

"You should be lucky I kept him alive!" Holtz shot back. "Unlike you, I kept your son alive; I raised him as if he was my own. You killed my child, brutally, and left him for me to find!" he reminded Angel. 

"That wasn't me, that was Angelus," he tried to tell him as he loosened his grip on Holtz's neck. 

"It doesn't matter. It was still your face that my son saw last; before you killed him!" Holtz told him angrily. Angel then feels remorseful for what Angelus had done to Holtz back then. Although it wasn't Angel who committed that brutal murder, as well as many others, he still carried the memories; he always would. 

"I'm different now," Angel told him truthfully.

"So was I," Holtz told him.

"You want me to say I'm sorry? I could; but it wouldn't mean anything to you. It won't take anything back," Angle said.

"I'd mean a little," Holtz said surprising him. "Not a much, but…a little." 

"Then I'm sorry," Angle said honestly. "for what little that means to you. That's all I have." Holtz shook his head as he slowly walked around the room.

"Not all. The both of you will have a son now," he told them. Buffy remained on alert, in case Holtz was tricking them somehow. Holtz carefully sat down on the small twin bed that he had been using. Years living in a hell dimension had taken toll on him; he was now a weak old man.

"Why are you doing this?" Bufy asked confused as she walked over to him, not quite getting what Holtz was saying. Angel was sitting beside him in the bed. 

"Look at me. An aged man like myself can no longer offer anything to a young man like your son," Holtz told him. Angel and Buffy both looked at him confused.

"I don't-" Angel began.

"I now realize it was his fate to be with his real father; you," He explained. He looked over at Buffy. "And his mother." Holtz chuckled bitterly.

"I want you to take Connor; to give him a purpose," he explained. 

"Why would you give him back to me? You stole him from Buffy and I," Angel reminded him. 

"Like I said; I'm getting old. You on the other hand, will never age." he explained. "I no longer have taste for vengeance against you," he told him. The two mortal enemies then felt closure for the first time in over a hundred years. Holtz stood up from the bed and walked over to the table and handed Angel an envelope that contained a letter for Connor he had written.

"All I ask is that you give him this," he told Angel. "The envelop is not sealed; figured you may want to read through it; it's alright." Angel looked back down at the letters in his hands. "I love my son. This is the only way I know he'll be able to move on." He sat down in a chair at the small table. "He won't accept this at first," he warned. "He'll go on and try to find me. But he won't," he explained. "Take good care of him," he asked. Angel nodded before the two walked out of the small hotel room.

****

* * *

As Angel and Buffy left Holtz's hotel room, Angel felt a since of closure. He had finally come to terms with his long time enemy. He then looked over at Buffy and smiled as she reached for his hand and smiled back. Angel and Buffy both sat down on a bench on the beach. Angel held up the letter that Holtz had given him.

"Should I open it?" Angel asked her. She looked at it for a second.

"Yeah," she said. Angel looked down at the letter before opening it. He positioned the letter so that Buffy could read it before he began to read the letter out loud. 

"_Your destiny lies with Angel I know that now_," Angel said finishing the letter. He looked up and smiled at Buffy as he realized their son could now truly return to them.

****

* * *

Back at the hotel, Angel and Buffy both come back with a happy expression on their faces as they walk through the door; Angel with the letter in his hand. Fred and Gunn quickly ran into the room with worried faces.

"Did you find him?" Gunn asked quickly. Angel nodded.

"Yeah, we found him," Buffy assured him. 

"Then where is he?" Fred asked. Both Buffy and Angel looked at Fred confused. 

"Holtz? I'm assuming he's back in his room," Buffy told them.

"Were not talking about Holtz, were talking about Connor," Gunn told them.

"What do you mean, I thought he was with you," Angel said worriedly as he walked over to Gunn. 

"He was until he suddenly got an itch and took off running after we brought him to the beach. I thought you'd find him, talk to him, and bring him back with you,"

"We have to go back out there and get him," Buffy said quickly. 

"No need," A voice said from behind them. Both Buffy and Angel whipped around at the sound of Connor's voice.

"Connor, where were you, we were worried," Fred asked as Connor walked over towards them. 

"Yeah, cause in case you forgot, you ran from us at the beach," Gunn reminded him. Connor looked at Buffy and Angel.

"I know you two went to go see Holtz," Connor told them. 

"Connor I-" Angel began.

"He's gone now so you don't have to worry about him," Connor told them.

"But how-" Buffy began.

"Don't worry about it, I said he's gone," Connor told them. Angel looked at Buffy then back towards Connor.

"Uh Connor, Holtz wanted me to give you something," Angel said as he handed Connor the letter.

"He said my place is here now. With you," Connor told him. Angel nodded.

"Come on, let's get your room set up," Angel suggested.

A few hours later, Angel had a room cleared out, and was making a list of the things he wanted to add to the room. Thankfully, the necessities for a bedroom were in there, so Connor could sleep in there for the night. _I have my son back! _Angel thought for the millionth time as he looked around the empty room that his son would soon be occupying. He thanked every higher power possible that he was given this second chance….


	13. Ch12

****

CHAPTER 12

****

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

The next day, Angel walked into the room that Connor had chosen the night before, carrying a bookshelf; and set it down beside an empty wall. 

"There, it looks alright," Angel noted as he stood up. Connor looked up from the letter.

"Yeah, it's alright," Connor said. Angel noticed something was missing.

"If you want, I can send Cordy out to buy a TV to put in here," Angel suggested. Buffy then walked into the room with a can of soda in her hands.

"And if you want I can take you to get some clothes," Buffy offered. 

"Ok, sure," Connor said. Buffy held up her soda.

"Want one?" she asked. Connor shook his head. "Alright, are you hungry?" She asked.

"No. I'm all set, thanks," he said. The room fell silent. Connor suddenly sprang up from the bed and attacked Angel, whom quickly stopped him. Buffy looks at the two of them confused. 

"I want to learn moves from you," Connor told him. Angel looked at Connor and smiled.

****

* * *

A few hours later in the lobby, Fred and Gunn accompanied Buffy and Angel, helping them teach Connor new moves. Lorne suddenly walked in carrying suitcases in both hands.

"Lorne, where are you going?" Buffy asked.

"I have to go help out a friend in Las Vegas, remember?" Lorne reminded them.

"Right," she said now remembering. Lorne set his suitcases down where he stood and walked over to her.

"It's alright sweet potato, I came down here to say my final good byes," he explained as he hugged Buffy. Buffy smiled. She and Lorne had bonded well. He was like a Giles figure to her almost.

"Good luck with everything, and if you guys need me, you know where to reach me," he told them all before leaving.

"Alright, how much you wanna bet he'll be back in a few days; a week tops," Gunn said. Angel shot him a look.

"Alright, fine. Let's just get back to the fighting," Gunn suggested. He looked back and fourth at Buffy and Angel.

"I've got an idea. Why don't you two show us some moves?" 

Buffy looked at Angel and shrugged. "If he's up for it." 

"Yeah, I'm up for it," Angel said as he stepped forward. The two of them smiled at each other. They then began to practice their different fighting moves and laughing as they did it. 

A few minutes of showing off their battle strategies to their son, Buffy decided to do something different as they trained. She dropped to the floor to dodge one of Angel's moves, and tripped him. She quickly sprung up and pinned Angel before he could get back up.

"Gotcha!" Buffy said happily. "And that is one way to kick your butt," she declared, still straddling him. Angel smiled up at her as he softly pulled her face down towards his and kissed her. Gunn rolled his eyes. 

"Oh boy. Here we go," he said to Connor as the two kissed. "Alright you too, break it up, young eyes here," Gunn reminded them. Buffy lifted her head, and looked up at them. Angel sat up. Gunn turned towards Connor.

"You'll be seeing that a lot," he assured him. 

"Great," Connor replied. He then remembered what time it was. "Look. I've gotta get going. I have to meet a friend of mine, but I'll be back later," he told them. 

"Alright, be careful," Buffy told him.

"I will," he promised before walking out the door.

****

* * *

Nightfall came quickly, and still Connor hadn't returned. Buffy became worried as the time dragged on.

"He should be here by now," Buffy said as she walked into the room. 

"I'm sure they just lost track of time," Gunn assured her. "Unless of coarse it was a girlfriend he was going to meet. Then I know why he isn't home," he added. Both Buffy and Angel looked at Gunn.

"It was just a thought," he said.

"Thanks Gunn. Now I'm really going to wonder what my teenage son is out doing," Angel said as he plopped down on the couch. 

"I'm sure he's not out..." she trailed off. "Right Angel?" she asked. 

"Right. I mean, he's responsible, and mature- I think, and, and..." Angel paused trying to think of something else that would convince both him and Buffy that their son wasn't out doing something with some girl.

"A hormonal teenager?" Buffy finished un-easy. She looked over at Gunn. "Thanks," she said as she sat down beside Angel. All of a sudden, the lobby phone rang.

"You see. That's probably him now," Angle said as he got up and answered the phone.

"Hello?" Angel said into the phone. He paused and listened for a second, as Buffy looked hopeful at him from the couch. She all of a sudden noticed Angel's expression turned serious. 

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked as she got up and walked over to Angel. "Was it-"

"No. Someone's in trouble down at Dupont Point. They want me to meet them there," he explained. 

"But what about Connor?" she asked.

"I'll look for him after I deal with this," he said. "Buffy don't worry. He can take care of himself," he reminded her before leaving. Just then, Cordelia walked into the room.

"Hey Buffy. Where's Angel?" she asked as she noticed Angel's absence.

"Someone called and needed his help. He'll be back in a little while, why? Did you get a vision?" Buffy asked. Cordelia shook her head.

"Nope, just curious. I mean, I know Wesley and Fred are still here, but everyone else is gone accept for us," Cordelia explained. "And I'm leaving," she added.

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked curiously. Cordelia smiled.

"I've got a date," she said happily.

"I don't have to give you the birds and the bee's talk, do I?" Buffy asked jokingly. 

"I'm covered. But from what I hear, you may want to have that talk with your son," Cordelia told her.

"He wouldn't do that- I hope," Buffy said.

"I wouldn't completely rule it out. I mean, for one he's a teenager. I mean, what were you doing at that age, or what was Angel doing for that matter?" Cordelia asked. 

"I wasn't-" Buffy began. Cordelia looked at her.

"Please. I remember when we all went through the Angelus appearance after you too got all groiny," she reminded her. 

"Weren't you about Connor's age?" Cordelia asked her. Buffy sighed. "And second, in case you haven't noticed, he inherited a lot of Angel's good looks. I'm sure once the girls around L.A. see him, you'll have to beat them off of him," she added.

"Thanks Cordy. I knew I could count on you," Buffy said sarcastically.

"Glad to help. I'll see you tomorrow," Cordelia said before she left. 

"Great," Buffy said as she sat alone in the lobby. 


	14. Ch13

****

CHAPTER 13

Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of _Buffy_, and the third season of _Angel_.

****

Author's Note: Last chapter! But Don't worry for those who've been reading this story, there is one more part!!I Really need some help here tho!! If you guys help me with your opinions I'll be able to post parts up faster! PLEASE e-mail me!! Naskt8@aol.com I really need the feedback here on whether or not toh ave the Cordy/Connor thing! So far I've only had 1 response!! 

By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor.

Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines. 

****

Angel pulled in at Dupont Point a few minutes later. Angel got out of his car and walked over to the edge of the low cliff, which overlooked the beach. As he walked towards the place where he was supposed to meet the person who had called, he could hear the waves crashing beneath him. 

"Good thing I'm not afraid of heights," he mumbled to himself. He waited a few more minutes for the person to show up before deciding he'd call Buffy, and tell her he'd be a while, and also not to worry. 

Angel quickly reached for his cell phone in his pocket, but as he fumbled to pull it out of his pocket, dropped it. Angel swore under his breathe as he watches the cell phone drop in the sand; several feet below. 

"Great," he said to himself. Just then, Angel turned around feeling a presence behind him. Behind him, he watched as Connor walked over to him. Before Angel could ask what he was doing there, Connor gave him a surprise punch in the stomach; sending him into the sand below. Angel quickly recovered and got up as Connor jumped down the cliff; landing on his feet. He quickly walked over to Angel with his fist still clenched. 

"Connor, what-" Angel began. Before he could finish, Connor threw another punch, this time knocking him in the chin. Angel was now officially confused. He thought he had finally got through to him, but as Connor continued to pummel him on the beach, he realized he had been tricked all along. Angel could tell that Connor wasn't fooling around, and was seriously trying to hurt him. Although he knew that, he made no move to hurt him; instead, Angel tried to block his son's moves the best he could as Connor continued to throw his fist as Angel.

"Connor, what's wrong?" Angel finally asked as he continued to try and block Connor's moves.

"Your what's wrong. You shouldn't be allowed to live!" Connor said as he punched Angel in the chest. All of a sudden, Connor backed up a little, and pulled out a stun gun. 

"Put that away. We can talk-" Angel began as Connor shot him. Angel felt the darkness creep into his vision as he fell to the ground. 

"Sorry, I don't want to talk about it," Connor told Angel; who had now fallen unconscious. Connor looked down at Angel and smiled cruelly before taking out a flashlight and signaled a nearby boat that had been waiting for him. 

****

* * *

On the boat, Angel began to wake feeling a little stiff in a few places. As he came to, he could hear the sound of waves smashing against something as he tried to sit up and figure out where he was. Then it al came back to him; he had been waiting at the pier for someone who needed his help before Connor arrived and suddenly attacked him. He also remembered Connor fighting him on the beach, then shooting him with some sort of tranquilizer gun or stun gun. 

As he opens his eyes, he quickly discovered he was in a large metal box, and Connor and a female, who Angel sensed was a vampire, were sealing the box shut tightly. 

"Connor, why are you doing this?" he asked as he tried to sit up once more. 

"Because you killed him," he told Angel. Unbeknownst to Connor, Justine had lied to him; telling him Angel had killed him. But really, Holtz had forced her to stab him. After he was dead, Justine had taken it into her own hands and made it look like Angel had bitten Holtz, killing him.

"What? Killed who?" Angel asked, not knowing what Connor was talking about. 

"Holtz. You killed him," Connor told him angrily. Angel shook his head quickly.

"No. No I didn't; Connor, you've got to believe me," Angel pleaded as he quickly tried to think of a way to get out of the box. 

As he struggled to get free from the box, he realized he was tied up by his wrists, which were in back of him. As the other vampire finished welding the sides of the box, Angel realized that if he didn't get out of there fast that he'd live in the box forever. And by the way the situation looked, it appeared Connor also had the idea of throwing the box, with him, down to the bottom of the sea. He also realized he'd never see Buffy again, nor would he be able to try to get to his son and win him back. 

"Connor you will one day find out the truth. I swear I did not kill Holtz," he told Connor once more. 

"Right. Like I'd believe you," Connor said. He smiled as he watched the other vampire weld the box together. He remembered her. She was working with Holtz….Justine he thought her name was.

"Connor, I forgive you, I…I love you," Angel said; his gaze locked on Connor just as he places the lid on the box.

"Connor!" Angel yelled from inside the box. Connor looked down and smiled as he watched Justine welded the cover shut. In the middle of the sea, on the boat, the other vampire finished up welding the box shut. Connor smiled as he could hear Angel scream his name from inside the sealed box. 

"Alright, now that that's done, I think it's time we get rid of this box," Connor suggests. Justine smiled.

"After you," she said as she motioned to the metal crate. Both of them positioned themselves on either side of the box, then pushed it over the edge of the boat. They both watch with smiles on their faces as Angel's metal casket sank down into the cold, dark sea. 

* * *

At the hotel, Buffy, Fred, and Gunn pace around the hotel lobby waiting for word from either Angel or Connor. 

"Did anyone try Angel's cell phone?" Fred asked. She looked over at Buffy who continued to pace around the room worriedly. 

"Twice," she answered quickly. "Where could they be?" she asked. 

"If it helps, half the time Angel forgets he even has his cell phone. He usually turns the ringer off. Plus he doesn't know how to check his voice mail," Gunn told her.

"I'm going to go out and look for them. You guys stay here just in case it's nothing and they come back," Buffy told them as she walked towards the door. 

"Alright. Be careful!" Gunn hollered back just before Buffy disappeared out the door, into the darkness. Buffy could sense something wasn't right; just like she had felt the night Connor had disappeared...

**__**

To Be Continued...

In suspense? Wanna know what happens next? Read the third and final part in this trilogy, 'Choices.' 


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